Final West Neck Water agreement on Town website: Written comments accepted through April 18
The West Neck Water District Board of Directors has posted a final draft of its proposed management lease agreement with the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) on the Town website at shelterislandtown.us. The Board will accept written comments through Monday, April 18.
Judging from the Board’s recent informational session, there appeared to be almost no resistance to the earlier draft. Town Attorney Stephen Kiely has carefully reviewed the proposed contract spelling out details, including:
• A 40-year agreement to manage the West Neck Water District on behalf of current customers and an option to add new customers who request to receive water services from the SCWA with the proviso that if there’s any need for enhanced capacity and/or installation of new supply wells, the SCWA will upon 60 days notice of the request for service consult with the Town Board before adding those customers.
The SCWA agrees to make improvements to water supply and distribution system infrastructure on behalf of WNW District customers who will be responsible for paying up to $1.7 million through a surcharge to their bills for those changes.
The projected changes include:
• Replacement of existing meters that are often contained in basements, under decks and in other inaccessible places with new meters to be placed in vaults at the front edge of each property
• Construction of a new well
• Reconfiguration of the electric system
After five years, the SCWA will take over the responsibility for further infrastructure needs that are paid by all SCWA customers throughout the county. Should the changes made to the West Neck Water District system cost less than $1.7 million in that five-year period, the money those customers will pay off over 25 years will be reduced.
Customer fees billed this month will remain at the current rate. The increased fee would begin to be billed this summer.
At the March informational meeting Deputy Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams outlined anticipated costs once the contract fees become viable. Access fees are anticipated to remain the same with residential users paying $325 a year. Commercial users who use less than 35,000 gallons of water would continue to pay $650 per year; those using 35,000 to 100,000 gallons would continue to pay $1,000; and those who use more than 100,000 gallons of water would continue to pay $2,500.
It’s the rates for metered usage that would increase to include money toward paying off the debt incurred from the infrastructure costs.
Users of up to 14,999 gallons of water a year would pay a rate of $11.11 per kgallon, up from $5.50; Those using between 15,000 and 29,999 gallons would pay $14.65 per kgallon, up from $7.25; and those using 30,000 gallons would pay $19.19 per kgallon, up from $9.50. A kgallon represents 1,000 gallons.
The town is applying $25,000 this year in money in the WNW account toward paying down the infrastructure charges, Ms. Brach-Williams said. Town grants consultant Jennifer Mesiano Higham is also working to determine if there are sources of grants to offset the infrastructure costs. That could shorten the 25-year payoff period for that $1.7 million investment built into current fees paid to the SCWA.
The West Neck Water Board of Directors had hoped to conclude an agreement with SCWA by Feb. 28, but needed more time to clarify a few aspects of the agreement. The agreement will kick in as soon as it’s signed and would last until Feb. 28, 2062, but the Town would be able to cancel the contract at any time.
