Press Releases

Contact: Public Relations Department
Suffolk County Water Authority
PO Box 37
Oakdale NY 11769
(631) 563-0296

April 09, 2002
SCWA Freezes Water Rates For Next Three Years

With the adoption of its new and innovative budget last week, Chairman Michael A. LoGrande announced that water rates for Suffolk County Water Authority customers will be frozen for the next 3 years. "I congratulate the staff and my Board Members," LoGrande said. "You achieved the highest category bond rating of any revenue-producing Authority in New York State by advocating sound financial policies," LoGrande continued referring to the Authority's AA rating, "in fact, we're the highest rated government bonds on Long Island!"

The Water Authority began a program about 10 years ago to expand revenues beyond those from the sale of water. Today these revenues total over $3,000,000 a year in income. All these new revenue sources came about as a result of innovative planning," LoGrande commented, "and we have additional income from real estate rentals and investments, all of which help keep our water rates down and our finances strong!" In a fiscally conservative move, the Authority recently paid off $72 million in outstanding debt, in cash.

"Despite soaring insurance rates and LIPA bills totaling $1 million per month, we've held the line on expenses and hiring and our customers are seeing the results," said Stephen Jones, the Authority's Chief Executive Officer. "Over the past ten years, our rate increases have been below the rate of inflation despite rising costs and our rates are still 40 percent below the national average," Jones said. "We've continued to invest substantial monies to replace infrastructure and maintain the integrity of our distribution system," Jones continued, "and at the same time we're completing an $11 million state-of-the-art Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) which will give us productivity gains and continue to tighten up security."

"Public Authorities are state-created agencies that are separate from government and politics as a cost-effective way to deliver essential services, like people's drinking water," LoGrande said. "The real success of the Authority is attributed to very dedicated Board Members and staff," LoGrande added that "the past ten years our Authority has operated without political interference and our financial successes are clearly the result."

The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public benefit corporation operating by virtue of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving about 80% of Suffolk's residents, it operates without taxing power on a non-profit basis.