Plant 6 Dedicated to a Pair of Former Commissioners
Hicksville Water District Chairman William Schuckmann, fourth from right; Commissioner Karl Schweitzer, far left; Commissioner Nicholas Brigandi, fifth from left; Superintendent Paul Granger, third from left; and Treasurer Vincent Abbatiello, far right; were joined by Nassau County Legislator Viviana Russell, seventh from left; Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, sixth from right; Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino, second from left; Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Vicki Walsh, third from right; Cindy Rogers from the office of U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, second from right; Paolo Pironi from the office of New York State Senator Steve Rhoads; representatives of various civic groups and the families of Commissioners William Cisler and George Kunz in celebrating the opening of Plant 6.
The Hicksville Water District (HWD) recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its Plant 6 water treatment facility. This grand opening represents the most recent in a long line of projects dedicated to removing emerging contaminants such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane in the community’s drinking water. This ceremony was particularly special for the District, as Plant 6 was dedicated to William Cisler and George Kunz, two former HWD Commissioners who served their communities throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Joining HWD Chairman William Schuckmann, Commissioners Karl Schweitzer and Nicholas Brigandi, Superintendent Paul Granger and Treasurer Vincent Abbatiello in celebrating this occasion were Nassau County Legislators Rose Marie Walker and Viviana Russell, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilwoman Vicki Walsh, representatives from the offices of U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi and New York State Senator Steve Rhoads and leaders from a number of Hicksville’s local civic groups. Members of Commissioner Cisler’s and Commissioner Kunz’s families were on hand as well to take part in the festivities.
“The completion of yet another water treatment project is always worth celebrating, but this one holds a special place in our hearts,” said HWD Chairman William Schuckmann. “Commissioners Cisler and Kunz played crucial roles throughout their tenures on the Board, contributing greatly to the expansion of our District’s service territory and infrastructure in the mid-20th century. It was an honor to have their families join us in opening this new facility, and we hope that it meant just as much to them as it did to us.”
Hicksville saw a population boom during the tenures of Commissioners Cisler and Kunz, making it one of the most critical periods in the District’s history. Some of the many feats they helped to accomplish include:
- The acquisition of land that would eventually become Plant 6
- Purchasing property for Plant 7 and drilling its first well
- Acquiring land that would become Plant 9
- Lobbied in Albany to ensure the construction of a new water storage tank to meet growing demand
- The construction of a ground-level storage tank and a second well at Plant 5
Plant 6 comes equipped with two Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) treatment systems and four Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters to treat 1,4-dioxane and PFAS. With this project now complete, all 13 of the District’s 14 supply wells that have been affected by these contaminants now have the treatment technology necessary to distribute safe, high-quality drinking water to homes and businesses. Of the approximately $13 million in costs associated with getting Plant 6 online, $2 million was funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $3 million was funded by the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement grant program, ultimately cutting the cost of this plant to residents by $5 million, or about 38.5 percent.
