(Press Release) The Suffolk County Water Authority has issued a Stage 1 Water Alert for all 1.2 million customers it serves. For weeks SCWA has been notifying customers of high usage in the following areas: Eaton’s Neck, Kings Park, North Bay Shore, Selden, Montauk and the Town of Southold. These areas remain a particular concern even as the alert is issued for SCWA’s entire service territory.
This alert follows weeks of elevated water use across Suffolk County, which has led to dangerously low levels in water storage tanks—particularly during early morning hours when demand typically peaks. If demand continues at this rate, customers may experience reduced water pressure at their homes or businesses.
More importantly, low tank levels threaten SCWA’s ability to maintain adequate pressure and reserve supply in the event of a fire emergency.
“We need our customers to take immediate action to reduce their water use,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “Water is a limited resource, especially during peak summer demand, and we need to ensure there’s enough available for critical needs like fire protection.”
Customers are urged to take the following steps immediately:
Eliminate all unnecessary water use.
Limit lawn watering and, if watering is necessary, strictly follow the odd/even lawn watering schedule:
Homes and businesses with odd-numbered street addresses should only water on odd-numbered calendar days.
Those with even-numbered addresses should only water on even-numbered calendar days.
There should be no lawn watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
SCWA began warning customers in some areas about high water demand in June. However, after multiple consecutive days of low tank levels and continued high usage, SCWA is now taking the additional step of issuing this official alert for all customers. This is the first Stage 1 Water Alert issued since 2022.
“We’re working around the clock to keep up with demand and maintain pressure throughout the system, but we need help,” said SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo. “This is a shared responsibility. Everyone doing their part makes a real difference.”
High demand is expected to continue throughout the summer unless customers significantly reduce their usage.
For more information and water-saving tips, visit www.scwa.com/conservation or call SCWA Customer Service at (631) 698-9500.