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Home My WebLink About07/10/2025 Town of Southold Water Advisory Committee— Meeting Minutes July loth Attendees: Committee members: Caroline Yates, Kate Daly Anne Murray, Anne Smith, Kariane Chew, Joe Finora, Chad Mrowka (virtual), Al Krupski, Vinnie, John Stype 1. Presentation by NFEC interns Ryan and Zoe from Mattituck High School on salt water intrusion 1. Recommendation to educate younger generation on social media like TikTok 2. Town will upload to WAC page 3. WAC will invite them to July 22nd 4:30pm public hearing to make public comments 2. Approval of June Meeting minutes 3. Chad from Fisher's Island was approved as official member of WAC, will be sworn in shortly 4. Reminder: public comment period deadline tomorrow 5pm for NF pipeline 1. Town board did submit questions for the scoping for the project. Spoke to Southampton supervisor: scoping session there was poorly attended. Qs include: would they build sewage treatment plant in Flanders as proposed. Would that be proposed to supply all of South Fork. Would they serve Eastern Brookhaven from the same wellfield. S. Discussion of irrigation legislation outcomes and next steps 1. Penalties and fines excluded 2. Acknowledgement that enforcement would be difficult 3. Important for education component be a part of the leg roll-out 4. Every other day provision was eliminated 5. WAC recommends no exclusion of food gardens to keep things simple and avoid confusion, not carving out for type of residential plant 6. Peak demand in early morning hours, so one Committee member disappointed odd/even was removed. Single greatest reducer of water use. 1. WAC recommends reinstating odd/even, and prohibition between 10 and 4pm given it's in SCWA guidelines. 2. Irrigation professionals want a set of rules. Who drafts that?WAC with guidance from professionals. Then submit to Town Board to post on web site. 3. DRAFT memo recommending this to the Town Clerk's email address with copy to every town board member and town attorney Ben Johnson. Signed by Kate. Would like you to reconsider abcdf. Will be added to public record of hearing. [make sure it's 3 years only for upgrade not for other provisions] 4. Could it see limit of no more than 1 acre watered by community water supply? Would rely on irrigation well not potable required. Health Dept was against it because crossover systems that have well plus public. But if you have dedicated irrigation well. Nothing in code prohibits that. Disperses the load rate. And it's untreated water. Maybe could be part of the rezoning rather than separate legislation or part of the irrigation code. 1. Chad notes the cross-connection happens all the time even though it's not allowed. True there's an advantage to spreading out what you're drawing from. 2. What about just banning irrigating more than one acre. Other municipalities are paying people to reduce their lawn. Not realistic to add to zoning planning right now. 3. Al: Could be easy to restrict use of hydrants to public safety purposes within town. Committee send SCWA letter asking how may hydrant permits they issue and it it broken down by user. Anne FOIA'd their list 8 years ago. 4. Joe Pokorny noted that SWCA not concerned about hydrant use because quantities do not cause concern and it doesn't occur during peak hours. 5. Hydrant tax—not charging for water it's taxing the infrastructure usage. Consider time tanker trucks fill to non-peak time on the permits. 6. Does Riverhead allow this? 7. Add to WAC future to d 8. Need to re-notice anyway. 7. Eliminated hours of between 10am and 4pm prohibiting watering. 6. Discussion of coordination with Planning Department (zoning update deadline for comments is July 18t")—what recommendations does WAC want to make (see Caroline's memo); how will DWSP2 be relevant to the zoning update? 1. With the zoning update make sure you look at the natural resources and protect the ground water and extended source areas as definted by the DWSP2. In accordance with Suffolk County subwatershed plan. proposed excluding unsympathetic uses that contribute to groundwater contamination that may include categories like BESS, laundromats, dry cleaners and healthcare facilities from being constructed in these zones, once boundaries are finalized and areas are established and adopted. 2. Recommend consideration well head protection areas. Land use around well heads—need land use protections around well heads. Care should be taken for public supply well protection, perhaps through land preservation. 3. Surface paving within x feet of water's edge—AI needs to comply with MS4. Working to get Greenport Trustees liaison to this committee. 7. Orient Water Resources Study--questions in advance of their August presentation to WAC. Committee members to submit questions to Kate by July 315t for her to send to Barbara in advance. 8. Question to Chad: what are the requirements for Innovative Septic on Fisher's Island ? Can be expensive. Recent installation was $85K.