The Harlow Report

The Harlow Report-GIS

2023 Edition


ISSN 0742-468X
Since 1978
On-line Since 2000


first published week of:   04/03/2023

GIS Reduces the Burden on the Suffolk County Water Authority for the Lead and Copper Inventory

by Tyrand Fuller, Director of Strategic Initiatives; Marissa Robins, Communications/Strategic Initiatives Intern; and Tom Withers, GIS Specialist

The Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) is an independent public benefit corporation that has been providing high-quality drinking water to its customers since 1953. It is also one of the largest groundwater suppliers in the nation, serving approximately 1.2 million residents in Suffolk County, New York.

The 2021 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) require water suppliers to provide a complete inventory of service lines, including the material type of the privately owned portion and the utility-owned portion. This inventory must be completed by October 2024. Water suppliers are also required to develop plans to replace any existing lead service lines. Without an accurate and up-to-date inventory, it would be impossible to comply with the LCRR.

In response to the LCRR, the SCWA has taken it upon itself to ensure that customers have full knowledge about their water service lines and see how the authority is continuing the goal of providing high-quality drinking water that meets and exceeds all regulations. The SCWA must maintain an accurate inventory of all lead service lines so that it can have them replaced with a safer alternative, such as copper. The SCWA decided to utilize geographic information system (GIS) technology to ensure that the corporation is meeting the requirements of the LCRR. Web-based GIS applications provide an efficient visual database of service line materials, allowing water suppliers to easily access, track, share, and update their inventory.

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