Drought conditions caused by a lack of rain on Long Island going back to September have driven the demand for relief from the Suffolk County Water Authority record levels.
The water provider typically sees such huge usage only during peak summer months. Following one of the driest months of September and October on record, the authority has pumped approximately 7 billion gallons of water in October, about 1.5 billion more than usual.
While its system is currently meeting demand, the prolonged high-water usage is complicating routine seasonal shutdowns of certain wells, SCWA officials reported. These wells are typically taken offline in colder months to prevent freeze-related damage, as they lack winterized structures. If they must remain operational into the winter, this could present infrastructure risks and potential costs for repairs, they say.
“This fall surge in water demand is certainly concerning,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “It isn’t putting immediate strain on the system as a summer drought might, but it does complicate our winter preparations. Demand levels are resembling those seen in late spring and early summer.”
The region’s arid conditions are raising brush fire concerns and keeping farmers busy trying to hydrate their crops. It was a dry summer in 1995 that led to the worst wildfires in state history. This October, Islip MacArthur Airport recorded only .01 inches of rain and nothing so far this month. The record for the month was set in 2005 when four inches of rain fell at Islip.
SCWA attributes the higher water usage to increased outdoor irrigation, with customers running sprinklers later into the season to maintain lawns during the dry spell. The agency has long promoted an odd/even lawn watering schedule as an effective measure for managing demand. Under this schedule, homes with odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered days, while even-numbered addresses water on even days.
This conservation measure has successfully reduced strain on SCWA systems over the summer and is part of its broader strategy to ensure the reliability of Suffolk County’s water infrastructure.
To also promote conservation, the Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection (LICAP) recently conducted a raffle for smart sprinkler controllers. Responding through the Our Water Our Lives conservation campaign, residents pledged to conserve water this summer on the campaign’s website and were entered into a raffle for the free controllers.
"Long Islanders rely on our sole-source aquifer, located hundreds of feet beneath the surface, for every drop of water we drink," said LICAP Chairman Jason Belle. "With this pledge program, we’re offering residents an exciting opportunity to win cutting-edge water-saving technology for free while encouraging everyone to do their part in conserving this precious resource."
Smart controllers are, by far, the best water-conservation tools available, according to the experts. Using Wi-Fi to tap into local weather forecasts, they provide lawns with the appropriate amount of water based on past, present, and future weather conditions. This mitigates the risk of overwatering, helping lower water use and bills while maintaining a healthy lawn.
To learn more about LICAP’s water conservation campaign, go to visitourwaterourlives.com.