SCWA issues water alert for Shelter Island and Southold Town
On July 14, the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) issued a Stage 1 water alert in response to a moderate regional drought for its customers on Shelter Island as well as Southold, Southampton and East Hampton.
On Shelter Island, SCWA manages the water delivery systems for the Village of Dering Harbor and West Neck Water District. The Shelter Island Heights Property Owners Corporation operates a water system for its residents. For all other Island residents, the Town Board posted a Severe Drought alert on its website on July 2, prohibiting the use of sprinklers from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Aquifer levels are at among the lowest in 10 years, according to the alert, and precipitation remains substantially below normal. The restrictions on watering were recommended by the Town’s Water Advisory Committee, noting that summer is the season of peak use, and 50% of water used by a sprinkler would evaporate during the hottest part of the day.
Under the SCWA alert, its customers are asked to refrain from watering their lawns unless it’s necessary. If customers do choose to water, they must adhere to an odd/even schedule.
Odd-numbered addresses may water only on odd-numbered calendar days, and even-numbered street addresses only on even-numbered calendar days. No lawn watering would be permitted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Our crews are working to maintain system pressure, but conservation is a shared responsibility,” SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo said. “Unchecked demand risks pressure drops that affect public safety and firefighting capabilities.”
SCWA set a pumpage record in June, withdrawing 11.15 billion gallons of water across its entire system, and nearly exceeding its peak pumpage-per-minute record by reaching 540,000 gallons per minute during peak times.
SCWA also reported elevated water infrastructure demand during the overnight and early morning hours due to irrigation system use. As a result, water storage tanks start each day at lower-than-normal levels and require additional time to refill. These tanks are essential for maintaining water pressure throughout the distribution system.
When tank levels are low, system pressure decreases, reducing water flow to homes and limiting water available for fire protection. Because production facilities are already operating at full capacity, no additional infrastructure is available to meet this increased demand.
“The combination of regional drought and record pumpage requires an immediate response,” SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz said. “We need all customers on the East End to adhere to water use restrictions so we can maintain pressure for fire protection.”
