Irrigation law put on hold

The Town Board reached a consensus Tuesday afternoon at its work session to table a decision on a law slated to kick in September 1 banning the use of underground irrigation systems.

In 2003 the town had been in a “level four” water emergency since March 2002 when the aquifer levels were the lowest they had been in at least 20 years. Passed in September 2003, the law  to ban the installation of all new systems to protect the quantity and quality of water in Shelter Island’s aquifer was enacted, but allowed those already in use  to remain for 10 years. That “sunset” provision is coming due September 1.

After listening to  a dozen or so residents, including landscapers, calling for the elimination of the law, the board concluded more study and discussion was needed and a moratorium on the law was the best way to proceed. The moratorium “shouldn’t have whiskers on it,” Supervisor Jim Dougherty said, taking Councilman Ed Brown’s suggestion on more study. But it could be up to nine months before a decision one way or the other is reached.

Several residents noted that technology has changed in ten years with new nozzles and systems becoming much more efficient. Other homeowners said there was no hard data that proved irrigation systems tapped the aquifer to crisis points or drained other wells allowing salt-water intrusion.