Water Authority Lifts Stage 1 Alert

The Suffolk County Water Authority announced on Wednesday, September 10, that the Stage 1 Water Alert for all of its customers issued earlier this summer has been rescinded, as system conditions have improved.

“The alert was declared on July 23rd after high heat and limited rainfall drove water demand to elevated levels,” SWCA stated in the announcement. “SCWA’s water storage tanks reached low levels during peak demand, raising concern about maintaining adequate water pressure, including pressure needed to support fire response. Customers responded by cutting back on lawn irrigation and other nonessential use, which played a key role in stabilizing demand.

SCWA continues to remind customers of its policy that all lawn watering follow the odd/even lawn schedule: homes with odd-numbered street addresses should water only on odd-numbered calendar days, while even-numbered addresses should water only on even days. This schedule significantly reduces peak demand and promotes healthier lawns by preventing overwatering, according to SCWA.

“We are grateful to our customers for taking this alert seriously and reducing their water usage,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “This collective effort ensured that we could maintain system reliability during one of the most challenging stretches of the summer.”

In August, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation warned that Suffolk County had been placed on a drought watch. SCWA is urging customers to remain mindful of their water use in the weeks ahead.