Approximately 100 local residents turned out at the second of two meetings held to discuss the Westbury water bill issue on Dec. 4, at Westbury Middle School. The meeting resulted in the selection of a write-in candidate for this week's water district election.

As of press time, a group of community residents was working to get the selected write-in candidate, Kenneth Jones, voted into office during the Dec. 11 election. Results of the election, for the seat of water commissioner, will be available next week. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Frank Iadevia, incumbent candidate for re-election.

Residents at the meeting continued to express opposition to the significantly higher summer water bills they received in the mail last month. Some have cited bills that are double, triple or greater in size, compared to bills for the same period last year.

Westbury Water District officials have said that the bills were a result of high usage coupled with a new step rate system. According to Water District officials, the step rate system, implemented a year ago, is based on a recommendation by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) encouraging conservation efforts. The new step rate system is as follows: For the first 20,000 gallons, which is considered a minimum bill, the cost is $20. For 20,000 to 60,000 gallons, the rate is $1.25 per thousand gallons. For 60,000 to 100,000 gallons, it is $1.50 per thousand gallons. For greater than 100,000 gallons, the rate is $2.40 per thousand gallons. Previously, customers were charged a flat rate of $1 per thousand gallons. Water officials have noted that the new step rate system is fair because the more water the district pumps, the higher its operating costs are. They have also said that the district is facing a $6.5 million bond project for needed structural improvements.

Last week, however, the district announced that it would hire an outside consultant to review the new rate structure, in response to the community's reaction. Water District Superintendent Italo Vacchio, in a prepared statement, said that the study would specifically look at the rates charged to the high-end user (100,000 gallons and up per billing cycle) and will recommend whether or not an adjustment needs to be made there. The report will be made available to the community when it is complete, he added. Noting that the district had no choice but to increase rates, Vacchio commented, "What we didn't anticipate was such a strong reaction from our customers. Our new rates fall in line with other water suppliers in Nassau County. There are some with lower rates, but those don't have the demands for expensive filtering systems that we have. We have a responsibility to provide customers with a safe, plentiful supply of water for drinking and fire fighting. In the interest of public health and safety, we cannot lose sight of that."

The Dec. 4 meeting was organized by an ad-hoc coalition of community members, led by Chester McGibbon, a local parent-leader, and Neville Mullings, a community leader who also serves as acting director of the Town of North Hempstead's Community Development Agency.

"This is going to be the start to get things in order to get an equitable rate," said Mullings, encouraging audience members to support a write-in at the polls. "It's not too late to get a reduction."

Water district officials were not in attendance, although, according to organizers, they were invited. Kenneth Jones, the selected write-in candidate, has run unsuccessfully for the water board twice before.