The Suffolk County Water Authority this past Sunday opened the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center in formerly unused office space in Hauppauge and will again host public tours tomorrow, Wednesday, May 24 at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. with additional tours to be added at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. if demand requires.
The Education Center includes exhibits about Long Island’s water cycle and the geology of the aquifer system; how water is tested to ensure its safety; and how distribution of water through nearly 6,000 miles of water main is managed from a single computer room. There is also an interactive model of pump station, a Water Workshop in which kids can build their own aquifer and a fun quiz game in which kids can test what they’ve learned during the tour—and possibly win a trophy.
The Education Center tour is immediately followed by a brief tour of the SCWA laboratory. The combined tours and a Q&A held afterward take approximately one hour.
All visitors receive a free, reusable, stainless steel SCWA water bottle.
To schedule a tour, call (631) 292-6565 or email edcentertours@scwa.com. Reservations are strongly recommended, as each tour can accommodate 15 visitors. Those without reservations will be accommodated as tour space allows.
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.