Until further notice, island residents, except those in Ocean Beach,
Should not use water for drinking purposes
The Suffolk County Water Authority announced today that workers have begun to assess damage and restore water service to Fire Island residents following the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, one of the most punishing storms ever to strike Long Island.
SCWA workers were able to reach the island yesterday and began restoring water, working from the west side of the island to the east, according to SCWA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Szabo, who said that the water supply to the Village of Ocean Beach is safe to drink and use for all other purposes, while the water supply should only be used for fire protection and toilet use elsewhere until further notice.
“Our crews are taking all necessary steps to assess the damage to infrastructure and fully restore the water supply to all Fire Island residents,” said Szabo, who joined SCWA Chairman James F. Gaughran and Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Operations Herman J. Miller on Fire Island on Thursday. “But for the time being, residents outside of Ocean Beach should not drink their water. We will have the water supply fully restored to all island residents as soon as possible.”
In the meantime, Szabo said that an SCWA portable water tank is located at the Ocean Bay Park Firehouse to provide emergency drinking water for Fire Island residents who do not live in Ocean Beach.
As noted yesterday, the public water supply for all other Suffolk County residents served by SCWA is safe to drink and available, even to those without power.
Fire Island residents with any questions about their water should call the SCWA call center at (631) 698-9500.
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.