SCWA revised pipeline project draws support, conservation concerns

Suffolk County Water Authority officials defended a proposed $22 million water pipeline project on the North Fork at Thursday’s public hearing, arguing the project is needed to address growing demand, saltwater intrusion and dwindling emergency water reserves, while elected officials and environmental advocates pressed the authority to do more to conserve water before increasing the region’s supply.

This is a fully budgeted project and will be integrated into the SCWA’s existing annual $100 million capital improvement budget, however, the authority intends on applying for a grant.

The North Fork pipeline will be 7.5 miles of 24-inch ductile iron water main from Flanders to the Southold Town line, near Cross River Drive/Route 105. That’ll include three directional drills and a booster station.

The installing process of the water main will be done through open-cut installation and directional drill, trenching about 300 feet per day, potentially more depending on the conditions. At the end of each day, the trenches will be temporarily covered with an asphalt patch. In doing so, the road will be reopened for the evening and following morning.

In consideration for the community and homeowners directly affected by the roadwork, the authority said the SCWA will avoid road openings and traffic interruptions during the busy fall season.

The authority described a tank in Greenport on Moore’s Lane as one of its biggest concerns. Officials said the 300,000-gallon tank can drop to only a few feet of water during summer demand, reducing both water pressure and the reserve available for emergencies such as fires.

The 30-foot tank dropped to 6.5 feet at 5 a.m. on July 3.

While Greenport officials voiced support for the pipeline as a way to bolster water reliability and emergency fire protection, they also acknowledged that more aggressive conservation measures will be needed to address the North Fork’s long-term water demands.

“I, as Village Mayor, would rather be on the side of caution and planning, and seeing this pipeline get built, and know that we have this as a resource,” said Village of Greenport Mayor Kevin Stuessi.

Legislator Greg Doroski’s comments were echoed by other officials and residents, who questioned whether the authority had done enough to address demand through conservation before pursuing a new source of water.

“Please look at a market-based solution, please quantify what exactly conservation savings could look like, and really consider looking at a more aggressive market-based solution,” Mr. Doroski said.

Other elected officials echoed Mr. Doroski’s comments, including Town Councilman Brian Mealy.

“Long-term water conservation should trump short-term pump capacity goals,” said Southold Town councilman Brian Mealy.

This proposal has been years in the making, with SCWA first presenting plans to town officials in 2022.

Riverhead Town has also fought this project, as officials have urged that the town would bear construction impacts despite the pipeline primarily serving Southold customers. In 2025, the Riverhead Town Board voted that SCWA had to comply with local land-use regulations, while SCWA argued it was exempt because it is a state-created authority.

Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski called for more time to review the 335-page draft environmental impact statement, as he received a laugh from the crowd. Mr. Krupski asked the SCWA to extend the public comment period beyond the Sept. 11 deadline, as his town board members were still examining the document.

“I’m not asking for 2034,” Mr. Krupski said. “But more than a week, I think, would be helpful … When you see we get 3 inches of rain, and people still have the automatic systems watering, it’s a little disconcerting.”

Joel Klein of Mattituck questioned whether the Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by SCWA adequately addressed construction impacts, including access restrictions for Riverhead businesses. He also challenged SCWA’s decision to include the potential Orient extension as phase two of the project. Phase two was only part of the discussion, it is not in the immediate plans in conjunction with phase one.

The end date for this pipeline extension is expected to be made by some time in 2028, due to its 12- to 18-month projected timeline. The original timeline was set for 2030.

The next public hearing for the SCWA North Fork pipeline project are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at Riverhead Free Library.