By Hank Russell
Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé (D-Baldwin), accompanied by small business owners and residents, held a rally at the Irish Pub in Baldwin on June 14, demanding immediate action and reimbursement from Liberty New York Water after a significant water main break disrupted the Baldwin community. This event not only caused economic losses but also spotlighted the broader issue of aging infrastructure.
“Everyone deserves safe drinking water, and the communication from Liberty Water was unacceptable,”Mulé said. My office received numerous complaints of residents waiting on hold for extended periods without getting any real explanations. This has to change.”
Business owners shared their hardships, emphasizing the economic toll. Shawn Sabel, owner of the Irish Pub in Baldwin, recounted the ongoing lack of support from Liberty Water, saying, “There were no guidelines provided about the health concerns moving forward, forcing us to rely on external support for basic necessities like water and ice. This has severely shaken our community’s confidence in our drinking water safety.”
Phil Laudin, a Baldwin resident, described the excessive costs residents are bearing due to the water quality issues: “I’ve installed multiple stages of water filtration at my own expense because the water quality is so poor. Since last August, I’ve spent over $8,000 on maintenance and replacements, and the recent water main break only exacerbated our concerns.”
The press conference also featured personal stories from local businesses like Novi Restaurant, which lost $3,000 in a single night due to the need to cancel reservations. “This is just one example of the extensive economic impact felt by many businesses here,” added Sabel.
The affected community members are united in their call for Liberty New York Water to acknowledge their plight and provide financial restitution for the damages and losses incurred. They continue to demand a reliable and transparent action plan to ensure such a disruption does not happen again.
“We’ve seen the consequences of aging infrastructure not just in Baldwin but across Nassau County,” Mulé said. “There’s an immediate need for Liberty Water to improve their communication with customers and outline a clear plan to compensate the losses our businesses have suffered.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Mulé connected the water main break to a series of infrastructure failures, including a devastating sinkhole on Grand Avenue last June caused by a cracked sewer pipe, and another significant sinkhole on Lido Boulevard.
“These are not isolated incidents; they are warning signs of the dire state of our aging infrastructure,” Mulé said. “Just last year, we witnessed a sewer line failure that not only disrupted traffic but also posed environmental and public health risks. It’s imperative that we replace these failing systems.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to Liberty New York Water. Spokesperson Pamela Bellings responded via email: “We understand our customers’ frustration over the main break and boil water advisory. We do our best to prevent these events from occurring; however, as with all utilities, emergencies like these do occur. During this event and every day, we adhere strictly to our tariff, governed by the NY Public Service Commission. Our customers are charged for the water they use, and as such bills will only reflect the water used during that time. Boiled water was drinkable, and water was safe for showering without boiling as explained in the Department of Health information we shared. We want to reiterate that all testing came back to show that there were no contaminants in the water at any time. The Department of Health issued the Boil Water Alert out of an abundance of caution.”
The legislator also expressed concern regarding the current approach to these chronic issues: “The time for political maneuvering is over. We’ve seen the damage and disruption caused by neglected infrastructure, from sewage leaks to sinkholes. Our community deserves better. It’s essential that the county administration takes these warnings seriously and collaborates closely with our state and federal government to secure the funding and support needed to replace our deteriorating infrastructure.”