Great Neck’s Water Pollution Control District may be a public entity, but its officials say that over the last few years, they’ve operated a bit differently.
They had a 40 percent increase to their service area in 2013, added 24 miles of sewer lines to manage and nearly doubled its number of force mains, which use pressure to move wastewater.
Between its old service area, the Village of Great Neck and additional services provided to entities like North Shore University Hospital, the Great Neck Park District and Merchant Marine Academy, the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District serves over 25,000 people.
But rather than increase costs, officials said, that investments in technology and initiatives are lowering taxpayer costs while providing more bang for the buck.
Currently, officials estimate that yearly savings will amount to $2,747,000.
“These numbers, for the most part, are conservative numbers,” said Jerry Landsberg, chairman and commissioner of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District.
And unlike many other sewer districts, the water pollution control district does in-house repairs of pipes and manholes.
“We’re the only place in New York that does it,” Murphy said.
They have since generated about a quarter of their electricity, 80 percent of its heat and saved the district nearly $300,000 over their two years of operation.
“They don’t have anywhere to take it,” Murphy said, noting that the nearest stations are in New Jersey and eastern Suffolk County.