Your July 30 editorial regarding the Suffolk County Water Authority North Fork Water Main project omits key facts and misrepresents the intended process and cost

The editorial suggests SCWA has sought to avoid the public process. Nothing could be further from the truth. In August 2023, SCWA met with a roundtable of elected officials, including then-Riverhead supervisor Yvette Aguiar and now-Southold Supervisor Al Krupski. At that meeting, SCWA committed to holding public scoping sessions as part of the environmental review. Those sessions did as they were intended to do: gathered the feedback that shaped the initial plan. This is the public process functioning as intended. We are satisfied and proud of the outcome outlined in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

You state SCWA should release a segment-by-segment construction plan. SCWA produces these plans for all construction projects and will do so here. However, the environmental review must conclude before a final route can be established. Just as SCWA listened and modified its route from Sound Avenue to Main Road, SCWA will listen to comments about the Main Road route and develop a construction plan that addresses the concerns of those along the route.

The editorial also accuses SCWA of ignoring conservation. This confuses cause and effect. The pipeline is necessary because conservation efforts will never be enough to address the lack of supply. SCWA has issued Stage 1 water emergencies for Southold in 2022, 2025 and 2026. We have funded ad campaigns in Southold, including in this newspaper, urging conservation. SCWA has provided over $700,000 in credits since 2016 to customers for installing water-saving devices like smart irrigation controllers.

Furthermore, SCWA cannot enforce water restrictions. In February 2023, SCWA sent a model ordinance to every municipality in Suffolk County, requesting they codify an odd/even lawn watering schedule with enforcement mechanisms. Only two municipalities considered it, and none adopted it that year. Southold adopted the measure in 2025 after years of requests from SCWA. That is to be applauded, but to imply that we have not taken conservation seriously does not match the record.

Despite the efforts of the SCWA and the town, we see little if any change in the demand for water during the critical peak season in Southold. Residents should ask how many warnings or fines the town has issued since adoption.

Finally, the editorial claims SCWA has not disclosed updated costs. The DEIS states the revised project will cost $25 million, which is $10 million less than the original projection. This document is publicly available for residents, officials, and the editorial board to read.

We appreciate the continued discourse around this project, but it needs to be stated plainly that this project is necessary for SCWA to supply existing customer demand in Southold. Fears that are out of SCWA’s jurisdiction and mandate, like development and sewage treatment capacity, need to be handled by the municipalities.

Public input will continue to shape this plan. I encourage everyone to visit SCWA.com/nfp to learn more and find out about more public hearings coming up in August. In addition, residents can comment on the DEIS there through Sept. 11, 2026.

Mr. Lefkowitz is chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority.

The post Guest Column: SCWA defends North Fork water main plan appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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