After Stressful Summer, Water Authority Adopts Alternate Watering Days Policy

In the wake of last summer’s struggles to convince Long Island homeowners — and especially those on the South Fork — to reduce their water usage when high heat and drought conditions stressed the Suffolk County Water Authority’s water delivery system, the authority has adopted a package of new rules that would constrain lawn watering and offer new financial incentives for water conservation.

The SCWA board of directors last week adopted a new policy that orders lawn watering only on alternating days of the week, dictated by your home’s address. A home with an odd-numbered address would water only on odd-numbered dates (July 3, 5, 7, etc.) and even-numbered addresses would water only on even-numbered dates. Homeowners could water less, if they so chose, of course.

“The need for stronger conservation policies became apparent during the summer of 2022 when there was a tremendous strain on the water system due to peak irrigation demand, excessive heat and drought conditions,” a water authority spokesperson said in a statement from the board.

The new policy also dictates that no watering at all should be done during the middle of the day — between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — when high temperatures and direct sunshine reduce the efficacy of watering.

“These are the hottest parts of the day, [when] water is least likely to penetrate your plants and grass, and simply evaporates off in the heat,” the SCWA says about midday watering.

Additionally, the SCWA in upping its financial rebates for the addition of water-conservation devices like rain sensors or “smart” irrigation controls and pool covers, which reduce evaporation. Homeowners can now receive up to $250 in account credit for systems, up from $50.

The water authority already offers financial incentives to homeowners for watering less, in the form of a 45 percent “conservation rate” up-charge for those properties that consume more than 300,000 gallons in a year.

But last summer the water authority was left pleading with users on the South Fork, specifically, to cut back on water usage as the demand for water, driven primarily by lawn sprinkler systems, was threatening the ability of the system to maintain enough pressure to power fire hydrants in the event of an emergency.

The SCWA declared a “water emergency” and asked residents to shift watering to alternate days and away from the especially heavy morning use time frame, when most automatic sprinkler systems are programmed to run.

The pleas from the authority and local government leaders seemingly fell on deaf ears, as water authority officials said they saw no appreciable change in water demand.

The authority struggles to enforce such edicts as it has no regulatory power or ability to impose monetary fines for noncompliance. So it is left to appeal to customers to fathom the gravity of the unseen on their own.

“While the natural aquifers we have here on Long Island are plentiful, they are not bottomless,” water authority CEO Jeffrey Szabo said in a statement from the SCWA announcing the new policies. “Being cautious and mindful of how and when we use this precious resource will guarantee it is there for generations to come. These new policies are aimed not only to conserve water and protect the water supply system, but also to educate the residents and public on water conservation practices.”