The Suffolk County Water Authority has taken a major step toward approving its controversial North Fork water pipeline, releasing a final environmental impact statement that rejects several requests from local officials and environmental advocates for additional groundwater studies, stronger conservation measures and independent oversight.
The authority’s board accepted the final environmental impact statement Thursday, Oct. 29, bringing the largest infrastructure project in SCWA’s 75-year history closer to construction.
The proposed 24-inch transmission main would carry drinking water from Southampton to Southold, where SCWA says existing wells cannot sustainably meet growing demand, particularly during the summer months.
The authority says the project will help protect the North Fork’s relatively shallow aquifer from saltwater intrusion while providing a more reliable supply of drinking water for residents, businesses and firefighters.
The final report confirms a revised route that avoids Sound Avenue in Riverhead, shortens the pipeline by approximately one mile and accelerates the anticipated completion date from 2030 to 2028.
But while the new route has won praise from some local officials and environmental advocates, the final environmental review leaves several of their other concerns unresolved.
Independent oversight rejected
One of the clearest disagreements involves oversight of construction.
Group for the East End, which generally welcomed the revised route but stopped short of endorsing the project, called for an independent monitor jointly funded by SCWA and local governments.
The organization argued that independent oversight would help ensure compliance with environmental protections and strengthen public confidence.
SCWA declined that request, saying it would instead appoint a construction manager and environmental compliance liaison to oversee the work, conduct inspections and coordinate corrective action when necessary.
Groundwater study still unfinished
Southold Supervisor Al Krupski had urged SCWA to wait for the completion of an ongoing U.S. Geological Survey groundwater study before making a final decision.
The study was still undergoing internal federal review when the final environmental impact statement was prepared.
SCWA says it relied on existing groundwater models, preliminary USGS findings and consultations with researchers in concluding that the North Fork’s limited freshwater resources need protection.
The authority maintains that bringing in water from Southampton, where the aquifer is deeper and more plentiful, will reduce pressure on local wells and help prevent saltwater intrusion.
Maximum pumping capacity questioned
Another point of contention concerns how much water the pipeline could carry and how that might affect groundwater supplies.
The proposed 24-inch main has a maximum hydraulic capacity of 6,000 gallons per minute, equivalent to approximately 8.64 million gallons daily.
But SCWA’s long-term groundwater analysis relies on projected average demand of approximately 980 gallons per minute, or 1.41 million gallons daily.
The final report does not include a model showing the effects of continuously operating the pipeline at maximum capacity.
SCWA argues that the pipeline’s maximum capacity does not represent expected daily operations and that annual-average pumping figures are appropriate for evaluating long-term groundwater impacts.
Critics have questioned whether the analysis adequately accounts for unusually heavy summer demand and drought conditions.
Orient extension remains under consideration
The environmental review also includes a possible future water main extension from East Marion to Orient.
Although no funding or construction timetable has been established for that phase, local officials and environmental advocates have questioned whether it should be included in the current review.
They have raised concerns about changing groundwater conditions, coastal flooding and the possibility that expanded public water service could encourage additional development.
SCWA says future expansions would undergo environmental review as required, but it has not committed to automatically preparing a new environmental impact statement before proceeding with the East Marion-to-Orient extension.
The final report also acknowledges that expanded public water service could make approximately five additional residential properties in Orient developable under existing zoning and septic-system requirements.
SCWA maintains that substantial additional development would generally require local zoning changes or new wastewater infrastructure.
Riverhead legal dispute continues
The project is also moving forward despite an unresolved legal dispute between SCWA and Riverhead Town.
SCWA maintains that it is immune from certain local zoning and land-use requirements under a legal standard governing public infrastructure projects.
Riverhead officials disagree and have asserted the town’s authority to require local approvals. The dispute remains before Suffolk County Supreme Court.
Construction could begin after final approvals
SCWA officials say the revised route offers important advantages over the original proposal, including lower costs, reduced environmental impacts and less disruption to residents and businesses.
The approximately 7.5-mile pipeline would run primarily along state and county roads, bypassing Riverhead Water District’s service area without connecting to its system.
Construction is expected to take approximately 12 months after the remaining permits are secured, with work scheduled to minimize traffic disruptions during the busy summer and fall seasons.
“This project is a requirement for the long-term sustainability of the North Fork,” SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz said in a statement.
SCWA CEO Jeff Szabo said the revised route reflects public input gathered during the environmental review.
With the final environmental impact statement accepted, SCWA must allow a minimum 10-day consideration period before adopting its formal findings statement.
The authority says its board could take that final environmental-review step as early as November.
