My Correspondence With Suffolk County Water Authority

 
 Yesterday I sent an email to SCWA (Suffolk County Water Authority) requesting information about well and pumphouse locations, because that information isn't listed anywhere. This morning a woman responded avoiding my question and when I asked her why I can't have access to the water information, which is a public commodity, she responded with a very emotionally triggered response, treating me as if I was an idiot (which I took as an attack), even though I had said I was a highschool student writing a report.


To who it may concern,
Hello my name is Adira Brown-DeVirgilio, I am contacting you to try to get information on where long island water comes from. I am a high school student and am doing a report on long island water. I have been looking for a source map on all the exact locations that SCWA has pump houses and wells to provide water for the Island. As I have been unable to find any such map, I am contacting you directly to see if you could provide me with one. 
Thank you for your time,
Adira Brown-DeVirgilio


I thought this was a valid request, yet she denied it with a weak excuse...

Dear Ms. Brown-DeVirgilio,

SCWA takes the safety and security of our precious resource very seriously and therefore we do not publicize our well sites.  SCWA has over 5800 miles of inter-connected water mains from the western county line to the North and South fork of eastern Long Island and from the north shore to the south shore.

SCWA has over 250 pump stations and 550+ wells in our distribution system.  SCWA is the largest supplier of ground water in the nation serving 1.2 million Suffolk County residents.

The only source of Long Islands drinking water regardless if you have a private well, public well or if your water is supplied by another water company is the Aquifer system (Upper Glacial, Magothy and Lloyd).

I hope that I have answered your question, if not feel free to contact me on my direct line.

I took her up on her offer, and emailed her back with a valid reason and suggestion...


Mrs Kathryn Fedund,
I don't quite understand the need for secrecy an all the locations, water is a public commodity and as the consumers we have the right to know where our water is coming from, not just the information about the aquifers... A publicly available list of all the facilities you have and what aquifer that facility uses would help your transparency and increase public awareness of their water source. 
Thank you,
Adira Brown-DeVirgilio


And this is when she snapped... (Notice how she doesn't precede it with Ms. anymore...)

Your initial question was “where long island water comes from”.  As I had written, our water is supplied by three Aquifers and only those Aquifers, Long Islands ONLY water source.

I also mentioned that SCWA has over 5800 miles of inter-connected water mains and therefore to know which well is supplying your home with water (if you are a customer and if this is the information you are looking for) you should review our “Water Quality” report to pinpoint your exact distribution area.  All the information you need for your “report” is there.  SCWA has the largest privately owned water testing laboratory in the nation.  SCWA meets and/or exceeds the standards for New York State (which are the toughest standards in the nation for public water) and the water in our distribution system is tested constantly.

http://www.scwa.com/about/wq_reports/

The need for secrecy and transparency is not the reason, but the need for security and safety of our water supply is the reason (if you are too young to remember ask your parents about September 11, 2001).  You mention that you are a “high school student” doing a report and in need of a source map.  Well that info was answered with my response about the Aquifers, that is our “source” of water.

If you feel that knowing where each of our pump stations, elevated water towers and wells  are, then I am sure that you are familiar with a F.O.I.L. request.  Feel free to submit one to SCWA asking for this information.  Be sure to include the reason for your inquiry, your full name, address and telephone number(s) so that our Legal Department has a record of your request. 

 If you find this uncalled for and you yourself want to know where wells that provide you with water are located and what aquifer they use. Share this with your friends and family and please do contact your local water provider, wherever you are, requesting this information. It's our right to know where a precious commodity, such as water, is pumped and what it's treated with!
 I recently found out that this withholding of information is in accordance to the bioterrorism act, an act put into practice after 9/11 to protect our water. This seems great and comforting, but in my opinion the Department of Homeland Security has no business medling in our water, and the protection of our water should be our (the public's) responsibility.