It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Gil Cusick, former Hicksville Water District Commissioner.  He served the District for 28 years from 1975 to 2003.

Gilbert (Gil) Cusick passed away in the early morning of February 3, 2023, at the age of 90.  He was born in Manhattan and raised by his adoptive parents, Fred and Marion Cusick, in Hempstead, NY. Gil first met his future wife Marilyn Simpson Cusick at Jones Beach and through their mutual interest in artistic roller skating, in which they had great success skating as a pair, including winning a NY State championship in dance.  Gil and Marilyn were married in 1953 and settled in Hicksville.

Gil was a life member of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers union Local 580, a trade which gave him the opportunity to help build some of New York City’s most iconic structures. Gil joined the Hicksville Fire Department in 1967 and served as Captain of Hook & Ladder Company 6.  For many years, Gil was instrumental in the planning and execution of the Fire Department’s annual Labor Day tournament. In 2012, he was honored with the designation of Honorary Chief in recognition of his service to the HFD.  In 1975, he was elected to the position of Commissioner of the Hicksville Water District, a position he would hold for 28 years. Gil and Marilyn were long-time devoted members of the Hicksville United Methodist Church.

Gil was predeceased by his siblings Fred Cusick and Betty Cusick Mayo.  He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years Marilyn, his daughter Susan Cusick-Carpenter and son-in-law Jeff Carpenter, his grandson Matthew Carpenter and great-granddaughters Isabella and Charlotte, and grandson Evan Carpenter and his wife Alyssa.  He is also survived by his nieces and nephews.

Friends may visit Monday, February 6, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Tuesday, February 7, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, 47 Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville 11801.  A funeral service will be held at Hicksville United Methodist Church, 130 W. Old Country Road, Hicksville 11801, at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, with burial at Plain Lawn Cemetery in Hicksville immediately following the service.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Gilbert’s memory may be made to the Hicksville United Methodist Church.

Former Greenlawn Water Commissioner William Wieck has passed away. When the long time Greenlawn Water Commissioner’s term ended in 2017, he left in place a legacy of public safety, fiscal control, water supply protection…and 26 years of meeting the needs of an expanding population.

A proud US Army veteran, ex-chief of the Greenlawn Fire Department and Past President of Huntington Fire Chiefs Council, Bill shepherded the cost-effective refurbishment of Greenlawn Water District infrastructure through a dedicated preventive maintenance program that began in 1992. The NSWCA sends its deepest sympathies to Bill’s family, friends and professional associates.  He will be greatly missed.

Visitation: Tuesday, January 10, 2023 Greenlawn Fire Department Headquarters: 23 Boulevard Avenue, Greenlawn, NY 11740  2:00pm – 9:00pm

Firematic Services: 7:00 pm

Prayer Service: Wednesday January 11, 2023 10:00 am

Interment: at Calverton Cemetery  to follow prayer service.

The Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association wishes all our members, supporters and the public we are elected to serve a most healthy and prosperous new year in 2023. May the new year 2023 bring abundant rainfall to assist all NSWCA member districts in our public education and  conservation efforts!

The following is a response from former NSWCA President and current Long Island Water Conference Chairman and NSWCA Executive Board member Andrew Bader to a recent Newsday editorial of March 31, 2021.

Consolidating LI water providers? A bad idea.

The real problem isn’t the number of water suppliers in Nassau County, it is the pricing/taxing structure of one investor-owned water supplier (“Public fix for private water,” Editorial March31).  If the issues are resolved, the discussion of consolidation becomes null and void, as putting all water providers under one umbrella resolves nothing.

When has an all-encompassing Long Island utility proved it is more effective at providing service than a smaller one? Need we remind everyone of the failures of PSEG Long Island during Tropical Storm Isaias?

Consolidating water providers does not mean we need fewer water mains, wells or treatment facilities. There are little to no economies of scale in this regard. It also likely means the cost of water will go up for the majority of Long Islanders due to the significant debt burden. Why should the vast majority of residents who are happy with their water provider subsidize the cost for the buyout of another? What does the average resident gain?

Water is important, and consolidating control could be scary. The current structure provides accountability and responsiveness, things that can be lost with one overarching utility.

Andrew N. Bader, Plainview

Editor’s note:  The writer is Long Island Water Conference Chairman and  Executive Board member of Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioner’s Association.

Former Greenlawn Water Commissioner Edward A. Cetta Sr. (1930 – 2021)  passed away on March 11th at the age of 90. Ed was a Greenlawn Water Commissioner from 1980 – 1985, a member of the Long Island Water Conference (LIWC) as well as a member of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA).

Visitation will be held on March 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 2401 Southwest 64th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Funeral service will be held on March 21, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. at Forest Funeral Home. Committal Service will be held on March 21, 2021 at 1:00 P.M. at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Carle Place NY, USA . . . A recent Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association Education Series meeting held remotely by teleconference focused on the topic of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and its numerous advantages for water suppliers. The New York Leak Detection (NYLD)  team based in Jamesville, New York, led by Zander Seaman made the presentation.

“GPR is a non-invasive imaging technology that uses high-frequency radio waves to detect subsurface objects”, stated Zander Seaman, Subsurface Consultant. “It is ideal for organizations seeking to avoid costly delays or damages that can occur when underground obstructions are unexpectedly encountered. GPR works by beaming high-frequency radio wave pulses into the ground and interpreting reflections received at the surface. The resulting images are similar to x-rays but without the risks of radiography. Field technicians interpret the images to determine the location and depth of utility installations, geologic formations and other objects in real time.”

In addition to the discussion on GPR and its use in locating underground structures, the NYLD presentation covered the theory of leak detection. Leak detection is the employment of advanced technologies to accurately locate a leak on a buried pipeline. The discussion included equipment employed in identifying and locating water leaks, the coordination effort between water department operators and the leak survey crews, and the advantages of system-wide leak detection surveys among other topics. The presentation was followed by a detailed Q&A session. New York Leak President Mike Goodfellow and Director of Operations Steve Darcangelo participated in the presentation and the lively Q&A session.

“Ground Penetrating Radar is a tool that is finding great acceptance in many fields, especially in environmentally sensitive applications,” stated NSWCA President and Hicksville Water District Commissioner William Schuckmann. “For example, for water suppliers and others in the water industry, GPR can determine depth to bedrock or water tables and identify metallic and non-metallic pipelines, water mains, subterranean storage tanks and cable banks. I greatly appreciate the detailed presentation that the representatives of NYLD gave to our audience.

The meeting was hosted by Massapequa Water District, with former NSWCA President and current Massapequa Water District Commissioner Raymond Averna providing the history of the District.

About NYLD: Founded in the early 90’s, New York Leak Detection, Inc. is a Subsurface Utility Engineering firm specializing in leak detection, underground utility locating, subsurface piping video inspection and subsurface infrastructure asset management.  They have assisted numerous municipalities, utilities, construction companies and developers nationwide obtain the information they need to solve a variety of subsurface utility problems.  NYLD offers Utility Location, Utility Mapping, Leak Detection, Valve Exercising, Video Inspection and other services to help organizations reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and maintain infrastructure so that they may better service their customers.

Plainview Water Commissioner and former NSWCA President Andy Bader has been elected Chairman of the Long Island Water Conference (LIWC).

“I am extremely honored to be entrusted with this position by all of our dedicated members,” Mr. Bader stated.  “Water is the most vital part of everyday life, and I look forward to continuing to ensure all Long Islanders receive the highest quality water possible.”

Mr. Bader, who was LIWC Vice Chairman  in 2020, has proudly served the Plainview community as Commissioner of the Water District since 2010. He served as President of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioner’s Association in 2017 and is an active member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

Best of luck Andy!