Strategic Plan 2025 is a coordinated effort to ensure that the Suffolk County Water Authority is prepared to meet the challenges of the next decade.
Developed by key personnel throughout the Authority, the plan provides a blueprint of our top priorities for the coming years, highlighted by the 10 comprehensive initiatives listed below that will position the Authority to maintain its place at the forefront of the public water supply industry for decades to come.
The progress of each initiative will be monitored through quarterly updates. If changing circumstances necessitate adjustments to any of the initiatives underway, the necessary changes will be made.
By 2025, the Authority will:
1. Invest nearly $1 billion to ensure that our infrastructure is capable of meeting the operational demands of present and future customers and bolster this investment by creating a comprehensive asset inventory database to optimize the maintenance and replacement of assets to maximize their useful life
2. Transform to a 24-hour customer service operation offering features such as automated appointment scheduling, automated customer notification of emergency situations, an updated Interactive Voice Response system, real-time account posting and live chat
3. Complete the transition to automated meter reading technology throughout our service territory that will allow us to maximize operational efficiency, aim at achieving 100% read success and collect data to help us respond more quickly to a wide variety of service complaints
4. Develop creative and flexible strategies to add new customers and transition more Suffolk residents from the use of private wells to safe and constantly tested public water
5. Build a complete mobile workforce system throughout the Authority to improve communications, streamline workflow, increase information sharing and improve customer response time
6. Create an Employee Development Center to foster employee growth and training, ensure retention of our most dedicated and skilled employees, transition employees from outdated job functions to new positions and promote an inclusive and diverse workforce
7. Conduct vulnerability assessments of critical facilities and train employees in all aspects of emergency preparedness to ensure continuity of operations during emergency situations
8. Develop new treatment methods for emerging contaminants to ensure that we are fully prepared to continue to provide high quality drinking water that surpasses state and federal regulations
9. Develop long-term sustainable water supply plans for vulnerable areas within our service territory, including Fire Island and the North and South Forks, to ensure an ample water supply to all our customers
10. Assess the feasibility of creating new rates and fee structures that equitably reflect the cost of service throughout our customer base
In addition to these key initiatives, we will be monitoring other potential growth opportunities including expansion into sewer operations and the acquisition of water systems both within the borders of Suffolk and beyond. While we don’t intend to pursue such growth opportunities, we will be prepared if circumstances change and our services and expertise are needed.
We expect that at the conclusion of Strategic Plan 2025, the Authority will be positioned to maintain its place as one of the most respected water suppliers in the country well into the 21st Century.