The Suffolk County Water Authority has taken steps to ensure its water supply will remain safe and readily available even in the event of any power outages caused by impactful storms during the current hurricane season.
SCWA has emergency generators located strategically throughout its service territory that will activate automatically in the event of power failures. Arrangements have also been made with fuel suppliers to make deliveries to these generators a top priority.
Additionally, SCWA staff held a table top exercise this week to ensure that vital staff members are fully prepared to fulfill their responsibilities in the event of a major storm impacting Suffolk County. Arrangements have been made to keep additional staff on overtime after shifts if necessary to minimize the impact of employees having difficulty getting to work and water treatment chemicals and fuels have been stocked to ensure ample supplies will be available during and after the storm.
SCWA senior staff review mock hurricane scenarios with SCWA Emergency Manager Phil Thompson, Tuesday, September 19.
"I’m confident we’re fully prepared for any impact that may yet occur from Tropical Storm Jose or Hurricane Maria," said Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey W. Szabo. "Our customers should know that we will be here around the clock to address any issues that arise."
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.