For Women’s History Month, the Plainview Water District (PWD) would like to honor two members of its management team that play crucial roles in the oversight and management of the District. Commissioner Amanda Field and Business Manager Dina Scott both have important responsibilities in the District’s day-to-day operations and have helped to lead the direction of many of the District’s advances over the past couple of years. 

“It is an honor to serve my community and play an important role in Long Island’s water industry as a female since it has historically been a male-dominated field,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “I am proud of the work that myself and the other amazing women of the Plainview Water District have been able to accomplish over the years and look forward to the continued trend of women entering water-related occupations.” 

Commissioner Amanda Field has served on the board of the PWD since winning her initial election in 2016. As a PWD Commissioner, Field—with her fellow commissioners—has led the District to install state-of-the-art treatment technology to remove 1,4-dioxane, PFOA and PFOS ahead of the state’s extremely untenable timeline. She has also been instrumental in launching the District’s Preserve Plainview campaign that aims to bring awareness and educate the many ways residents can protect the region’s sole-source aquifer. In addition, she has spearheaded several initiatives with the local school districts to provide younger generations with a greater appreciation for their community’s most precious natural resource: water. 

Dina Scott, CPA, joined the District in 2017 to assume the role as Business Manager. Ms. Scott uses her more than 16 years of experience in governmental accounting and auditing to oversee all budgetary and financial operations of the District and provides guidance on all related matters. Prior to joining the District, Dina was a supervisor for the well-respected accounting firm where she specialized in governmental services for local municipalities, including local water providers. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from St. Joseph’s College. 

To learn more about the Plainview Water District, please call 516-931-6469 or send an email to info@plainviewwater.org. Customers of the Plainview Water District are also encouraged to sign up to receive District updates by visiting www.plainviewwater.org and also follow the Plainview Water District on Facebook at www.facebook.com/plainviewwater.

Plainview Water District Commissioner Amanda Field

Plainview Water District Business Manager Dina Scott, CPA

Plainview Water District Urges Residents to be Responsible With Lawn Chemicals and Fertilizers 

Plainview, NY (March 11, 2021)—As part of its Preserve Plainview initiative, the Plainview Water District would like to remind residents about the impacts that premature and excessive lawn fertilizing has on our environment and water supply. The District implores all residents to be mindful of the Nassau County “Fertilizer Law” that prohibits fertilizing prior to April 1 of each year.

“You can have a green lawn without over-fertilizing or fertilizing too early in the season,” said Plainview Water District Chairman Marc Laykind. “To help protect our sole-source aquifer and other local waterways, we ask residents to adhere to Nassau County’s fertilizer law to help support our efforts of environmental protection.”

In accordance with Nassau County’s “Fertilizer Law,” all fertilizers are prohibited from being applied before April 1, 2021 and after November 15, 2021. Residents should always apply the minimum amount of lawn chemicals to the soil and make sure they are stored properly. Additionally, all fertilizers or other lawn chemicals must be kept in cool and dry locations inside of containers that are not prone to leaks. By following instructions listed on the packaging, homeowners can minimize the amount of fertilizer used while at the same time limiting the impact on the environment.

“Our weather is unpredictable this time of year and our region always seems to get an end-of-March snowstorm or cold snap,” said PWD Commissioner Andrew Bader. “Applying fertilizers on frozen ground, or right before the ground refreezes, will take the fertilizers off your lawn and into our waterways. Save your money and our environment by ensuring you fertilize at the right time.”

Organic fertilizers—such as cotton seed meal, bone meal and manure—are other examples of effective alternatives to typical fertilizers that will benefit the environment. Biodegradable insecticides that break down to harmless substances in 2-to-21 days are also another effective yet safe way to treat your lawn.

“Purchasing the right type of fertilizer is as important as when you apply it to your lawn,” added PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “We want people to remember that the water we drink comes from beneath our feet so the more chemicals and toxins we put on the ground, the more likely they are to leach into our groundwater. Increased nitrogen levels in our groundwater will require advanced and costly treatment systems to ensure our water remains at the highest quality. This is why we urge people to use natural, organic fertilizers over fertilizers packed with harmful chemicals.” 

Plainview, NY (March 2, 2021)—There aren’t many things more important than water, which is why the Plainview Water District Board of Commissioners would like to remind the Plainview-Old Bethpage community the importance of signing-up and/or confirm their contact information with the District. Ensuring that each resident has provided the District with accurate contact information allows residents to receive emergency notifications about their water service should a situation ever arise.

“The District has the systems in place to immediately reach our residents should a water-related issue occur; however, we can only do so if we have our residents’ up-to-date contact information on file.” said PWD Board Chairman Marc Laykind. “There is nothing more important to us than the well-being of our community and having the ability to quickly inform residents in the event of an emergency is a crucial part of the equation.”

The District’s reverse-911 system, provided by SwiftReach Networks, is capable of delivering urgent messages directly to residents via phone, text or email. By having residents submit their most up-to-date contact information, the District’s reverse-911 system will be able to contact residents and business owners with information regarding water-related emergencies. All information is securely stored in District databases and is only used in the case of an emergency.

To ensure a resident is signed up to receive emergency notifications or to confirm their contact information is accurate, please visit www.plainviewwater.org and fill out the appropriate form under the tab for “Resources” and then “Emergency Notification System.”  The contact information received will only be accessed in the aforementioned circumstances and will be kept confidential. Residents can also update or confirm the information on file by calling the District at 516-931-6469.

Plainview Water District Quick to Repair Any Breaks

The Plainview Water District would like to remind residents that water main breaks occur more often during the winter months, but are a completely normal experience for this time of year. Fortunately, the District has a highly trained staff that is capable of quickly addressing these potentially emergency situations to a degree where nearby residents may not even know a break has

“Water main breaks are an unfortunate reality in any area that experiences extreme cold, and Long Island certainly qualifies,” said Marc Laykind, chairman of the Plainview Water District. “The good news is that we in the Plainview Water District have an experienced staff that responds to breaks 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to minimize any potential interruptions to your water supply as much as possible.”  

As the case with all cold-weather climates, water main breaks are an unfortunate reality as they typically occur when there is movement in the soil surrounding the water pipes or a freeze/thawing condition. Water mains are installed below the frost line; however, when the soil shrinks or swells it places pressure on the pipes causing a break. Though the length of time to repair a leak varies from incident to incident depending on its severity and how quickly the leak can be located, PWD employees are trained to repair all types of breaks efficiently, quickly and safely.

“Water main breaks present an opportunity for residents to experience a drop in water pressure or discolored water,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “Luckily, both of these are temporary as our dedicated crews react quickly to each break and do whatever they can to limit potential interruptions to our residents’ water service while the repair is being made.” 

When water service is restored, residents may notice air in their pipes and the water may be discolored. The discoloration is not harmful, but can stain laundry. If you experience discolored water, let the cold water run from a faucet or tub at the closest area to your incoming service line for a few minutes or until it clears. 

“While we have systems in place to learn about main breaks shortly after they occur, there are situations where they are not easily detected,” said PWD Commission Andrew Bader. “Anytime someone suspects there may be a water main break in their neighborhood, they should never hesitate to contact us and report the situation. The quicker we can locate a break, the quicker we can respond to it, and the quicker the issue can be resolved. While most main breaks are not dire emergencies, they can lead to one if left unattended.”

The Plainview Water District asks for residents’ help in reporting potential main breaks. Residents that notice areas of wetness along the curb, bubbling of water in the roadway or unexplainable icy conditions are encouraged to contact the Plainview Water District immediately at 516-931-6469.