As often is the case with other municipalities who have large bodies of water near commercial areas, the Village of Roslyn has a problem with stormwater infiltration. In recent years, village officials have claimed that the yearly bill for stormwater infiltration has come to $525,000 per annum.

The village is currently in the process of having a plan for stemming such infiltration created and put into law. State law requires municipalities to go through various planning stages when dealing with their stormwater situation. At its most recent meeting, the board of trustees approved the first phase of its stormwater plan, one drawn up by the engineering firm of Dvirka and Bartilucci.

The first phase involves a draft that essentially spells out the specific nature of a village's stormwater problem, rather than recommending concrete steps. After that, public meetings are held before a final draft is completed. The village hopes to further address the stormwater problem at meetings later this fall.

For the past two years, the village has sought various ways to combat its stormwater problem.

Recently, the Town of North Hempstead has received a New York State grant aimed specifically at eliminating stormwater infiltration. The grant totals $35,000 for use in preparing a feasible study along with final plans and specifications for improvements to reduce the volume of stormwater discharge entering Roslyn Creek and Roslyn Pond Park, both of which are under the jurisdiction of the TONH. This is similar to the process now being undertaken by the village.

Stormwater infiltration has generally involved business establishments in the downtown area. Much of the problem stems from water at Silver Lake in Roslyn Pond flowing into businesses on Old Northern Boulevard. Many businesses have dealt with the problem by pumping the water back into the village's sanitary sewage system, an action the village would like to end.

The BOT has already passed a resolution that would give final notice to commercial property owners who may be discharging illegal groundwater and other encroachments for other than commercial purposes. If no progress is made after 60 days of the notice, the village would consider legal action.

Also, in previous years, the BOT has considered asking the Town of North Hempstead to calibrate a pump station to measure the stormwater flow from Silver Lake between 2 and 4 a.m. on any given day. The BOT has tried issuing summonses, setting deadlines and then administering injunctive relief against businesses discharging groundwater. However, BOT members have admitted that none of those measures has helped to alleviate the problem.

Chamber of Commerce members have suggested that the village's code enforcement personnel should attempt to handle where the flow of water from local establishments and businesses is going. They have also claimed that the creation of an out-fall pipe might be a solution, noting that such a mechanism worked to alleviate a similar groundwater problem at the Harborview Shopping Center.