Toback Announces New Sewer Agreements for Lawrence and Cedarhurst

Nassau County Legislator Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) led fellow Majority legislators yesterday in approving inter-municipal agreements with the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst to acquire their sewage treatment plants and convert them into county-owned pumping stations, a move that will substantially improve the environment of the South Shore bays. “These two projects represent what I hope will be a long list of governmental consolidation projects that will inure to the taxpayers’ benefit,” Toback said.

“This is a deal that will greatly improve the health of the waterways we swim and fish in,” Toback said. “We are eliminating two older plants that employ out-dated technology and rerouting the sewage to our Bay Park facility which is equipped to handle the additional workload. And by not having to upgrade these two facilities, it will save the taxpayers of Lawrence and Cedarhurst in excess of $15,000,000 in capital improvements over several years.

“The approved consolidation will result in tremendous environmental benefits to our local waterways to be enjoyed by all County residents while eliminating the need to unnecessarily spend tax dollars to upgrade multiple, smaller less efficient local plants,” said Department of Public Works Commissioner Ray Ribeiro.

“It’s a huge environmental victory for Nassau County’s South Shore waterways,” said Rob Weltner, Director of Operation SPLASH. “This will result in better-treated sewage and cleaner bays for everyone.”

“Our plant is 74 years old and is outdated and this agreement will have serious environmental benefits,” said Cedarhurst Village Trustee Ronald Lanzilotta, Sr. “We’re a small village and this is a win-win situation both for the Village of Cedarhurst and for the County.”

“This is a prime example of governmental consolidation that makes so much sense, and will be of great benefit to the residents of the Village of Lawrence, as well as the County of Nassau,” said Lawrence Mayor Dr. Jack Levenbrown. “We are most appreciative of all the individuals that spent so much time putting this consolidation idea together.”