HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/03/2025 Town of Southold Water Advisory Committee— Meeting Minutes
April 3, 2025
Attendees: Caroline Yates, Anne Murray, Maggie Merrill, Kate Daly, John Stype, Kariane Chew
Irrigation Regulation Update: Irrigation resolution is going to Code Committee sometime soon.
NEXT STEPS:John will draft email Civics with draft legislation.They can share with
membership. Flag when public hearing is scheduled. Maggie and Anne M will ensure
coordination.
Saltwater Intrusion update:There is a DEC Grant in Orient to drill to test for saltwater intrusion
(maybe at school or fire department)
NEXT STEP: Caroline and Anne M to set up appointment with Al to provide background and
discuss his preferred next steps (e.g. could schedule 1:1 between Al and Fred, could go to Work
Session; explain to Board this is what's going on; could ask Fred Stumm and Frank Mancini to
speak to Board about DEC work]
Communications Planning
ADVERTISEMENT: Kate shared with Committee recommended tagline for advertising campaign.
Language was approved. NEXT STEPS: Kate to finalize ad and circulate for review by Al in
meeting with Anne M and Caroline.
PRESS RELEASE: NEXT STEPS: Kate to draft press release about Spring/Summer Water
conservation plans.
Spring reminder: as you're getting ready to turn your sprinklers on
• Update with a smart sensor to save on your water bill
• Refer to web site
• Benefits of Native plants that don't rely on irrigation and save you money on watering
• Water the lawn and not the street
• Water your lawn and plants no more than every other day
• Rain in the forecast?Turn off your sprinklers.
• Mow higher to keep your lawn hydrated.
• Mulch plants to retain moisture.
• SCWA recommends odd/even water scheduling. If your house number is odd, only
water on odd number dates.
Updates on To Do's from March meeting:
John:
Attend the 3/14 LICAP meeting in Bethpage and report back at our April meeting
Sent update to Town Board. Need $513 to work on infrastructure. Lead pipes. No
reference to cutting back on water usage. They'll be testing lithium in ground water because of
the batteries.
Maggie:
1) CAC March meeting raise the opportunity for CAC and WAC to work together on a
spring education campaign on water conservation;
a. CAC happy to collaborate with us. Homeowners Handbook could add water
chapter. Anne and Maggie will ask in April CAC meeting. DWSP2 will also have
chapter on drinking water, so should coordinate. Extra funds available from DEC.
For future: Draft script for 30-second radio spot, see if Al can get into NewsDay. Focus on
Irrigation legislation.
Outstanding To Do's: We need to ask Gwynn if the County grant program for Al septic systems
still has funding (so we know if we should promote it); and ask Al about the status of state and
county monies related to Prop 2.
DISCUSSION:
Saltwater Intrusion update:
SCWA wells exist throughout Southold so would need their permission to do studies in
Southold. Cost may be around $25K. Town could potentially enter into cooperative project to
produce data, between town and USGS (who has already started work in Orient).They can't
write EIS for us making recommendations about development. But the study could be granular.
Current Suffolk County-wide study is insufficient.
We would need to ask Fred for recommendations of locations of wells to drill to test for salt
water intrusion to do the tests to get real time data.
Only 6% of water pumped is from Pine Barrens.
DEC permits don't allow transport of water from one town to another. Water must stay within
township. Southold could use this information re trucks filling up at hydrants and transporting
to Shelter Island.
EIS: once we have data; what is impact of current rate of development of slowing development
and of bringing in water up-island. Was an EIS prepared for the SWCA pipeline? SWCA declared
themselves lead agency and they make the decision on whether to do an EIS. Town of Southold
can state itself as an Interested Party.
DWSP2 did recommend an EIS for the town. Gives town more control of process. Since town
doesn't have sense of whether it has enough water. An EIS could help determine that. Do we
have enough water to build out this town.
When Town unveils its new Zoning Update. Need to make sure water is included. We should
bring this up to the Board when we see them. The Committee asks what is being done in the
Zoning update to protect and conserve Water. Committee should attend Zoning meeting. We
can testify then. Zoning update will require CEQRA amendment.
NEXT STEP: Committee appears before Town Board on saltwater intrusion and loops in issue
of Zoning Update as relevant, and ask Al if we can flag we recommend an EIS so town can
know.