It's my privilege to introduce this column, which will appear in your paper on a regular basis. But before I begin, I would like to introduce myself. My name is John Hirt and I'm the chairman of the Board of the Water Commissioners at South Farmingdale Water District (SFWD).

This column is dedicated to all our consumers, business and residential, to keep you "in the loop" and apprised of what's happening within the district.

The SFWD is the governmental body that is responsible for producing, maintaining, and planning for your water supply. If you reside in South Farmingdale, North Massapequa, and parts of Bethpage, Seaford, Massapequa Park or East Massapequa, we are the elected officials who are accountable for you having a safe, clean and ample water supply.

Part of that accountability is why my fellow colleagues and I are writing this column. I will be reporting on every aspect of importance that involves your water supply, including new developments, legal issues, technology at SFWD, and other related items that affect our community.

Most of all, this column will educate and inform everyone in the community on how to keep our water safe and why water conservation procedures are so important for our future.

Since 9/11, everyone has a heightened concern about the safety and security of our water. In my eight years on the board of commissioners, I can say without reservation, that your water is being protected at the highest levels, and security has never been more stringent than it is today.

Conservation of water is paramount to the prosperity of our children and future generations. We have produced new wells as population increased, as well as constantly implemented new pumping, filtration, and distribution technology and infrastructure to keep pace with our growing community.

We'll also look for you to help and pitch in where you can and cooperate with our conservation efforts. In future columns, I will point out ways and techniques we can all utilize to help conserve our water supply. These are simple, common sense things, but will guarantee quality, safe water for future generations.

In this debut column, I'm pleased to announce that The District is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

During the last 20 years, we have seen constant improvements, upgrades, and innovations. And we are in the third year of a 5-year plan to complete the upgrading of our wells and infrastructure. Our goal has always been to exceed all standards, and in that, we've been successful.

We are here to serve you, so any questions, concerns, comments or suggestions are welcome. Contact the SFWD by phone anytime 249-3330, or visit our award-winning website: www.sfwater.com. Our promise is to deliver great service and great water, and I urge you to read this column for information that is helpful to both you and your community.