Hearing on Aqua's Proposed Wantagh Project Postponed to August

The first of Aqua New York’s two scheduled zoning board hearings at Hempstead Town Hall for its applications to construct three new structures in Wantagh to address water pressure in the area was quickly adjourned Wednesday afternoon and has been re-scheduled for August 10.

One of Aqua’s applications issued with the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals (BCZA) is the construction of an over 150-foot water tower on DeMott Avenue in Wantagh just west of the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway. Aqua’s application that was scheduled to go before the Hempstead BZA Wednesday before the adjournment was for the construction of two smaller one-story structures including a chemical /electrical building and water well facility at the same location that the tower would be built.

Fred Parola of the Wantagh/Seaford Homeowner’s Association requested that
Wednesday’s hearing be adjourned so that community residents would have more time to learn about Aqua’s proposed project. Parola also requested that one hearing instead of two take place for both of Aqua’s applications, which BZA Chairman David P. Weiss, agreed to schedule on Aug. 10 at 2 p.m. Aqua's initial hearing for its proposed water tower had been scheduled for July 27.

Aqua, which did not object to Parola’s request, has also scheduled a community meeting to discuss its DeMott Avenue proposal on July 12 at the Wantagh High School Auditorium starting at 7 p.m. Aqua has said the new water tower is needed to address what the company describes as low water pressure in the area it services.

“[Postponing the hearing] will provide us sufficient opportunity for a community meeting scheduled for July 12 in Wantagh,” said Parola, a lifelong Wantagh resident who served as Nassau County Comptroller from 1994-2002.

Aqua New York serves more than 152,000 residents in the New York City metropolitan area including the communities of Wantagh, Seaford, Merrick, Bellmore, Levittown, Massapequa Park, East Massapequa and parts of Glen Cove. It is a subsidiary of Aqua America, which posted $104 million net income in 2009. The Southeastern Nassau County Water Authority has held recent meetings discussing a possible takeover of Aqua because of high rates.

People unable to attend the Aug.10 hearing can make comments about Aqua’s proposal by filling out the Hempstead BZA’s online comment form.