Lynbrook village trustee appointed to Nassau County Water Authority board

Laura Ryder

Lynbrook resident Laura Ryder was among three people appointed to the South Nassau Water Authority district board by Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and other town officials.

The South Nassau Water Authority is an independent body, which has been created by the State Legislature, and will oversee a district that now receives water service through the private utility New York American Water. NYAW was recently sold to Liberty Utilities after drawing the ire of frustrated customers, who have opposed the service and rate hikes for years.

Ryder is a trustee on the Lynbrook village board and has served as a community leader in many ways. She was a member of the  American Water Company Outreach Committee from 2018 to 2020, where she served as an advocate for fellow residents and provided information to the community in regard to the private water utility.

Other appointees include John Reinhardt III, the commissioner of the Town of Hempstead’s Department of Water, who manages all aspects of the town’s municipal water operations, serving more than 37,109 customers, and Joseph Baker, a longstanding community leader and business owner who is the founder and president of the South Merrick Community Civic Association. Baker also serves on the Merrick Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society of the Merricks and the Police Commissioners Community Council.

While announcing the members of the South Nassau Water Authority, Clavin and the board renewed their call for Gov. Kathy Hochul and the South Shore’s state Senate representatives to provide fair and adequate funding for costs associated with the establishment and operations of the new independent body. The members noted that the North Shore Water Authority, which represents more than 5,000 American Water customers, receives $1 million annually in state funds, while the South Shore Water Authority, which represents more than 110,000 customers, receives no funding under the bill approved by the state Legislature and signed into law by Hochul in November.

“As we move the process forward, we also think that it’s disheartening that the residents of America’s largest township are being treated so disproportionately by our representatives in Albany,” Clavin said, according to a news release. “It’s time our Albany representatives provide equity to the residents of America’s largest township.”

The South Nassau Water Authority board was set to be put into effect on Feb. 1.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead; compiled by Mike Smollins