Download 2010 SCWA Annual Water Quality Report : SCWA_AWQR

In fact, your drinking water far exceeds state and feder- al water quality standards. That’s because the Suffolk County Water Authority’s quality standards are twice as strict as New York State standards, which are already some of the strictest in the United States.

To meet these high water quality standards, our state-of- the-art laboratory, the largest groundwater testing facility in the United States, analyzed more than 64,000 water samples to produce over 182,000 test results. Last year, the Water Authority’s laboratory tested water samples for 278 chemical constituents, more than twice what is required. The lab operates around the clock, 365 days a year, which is necessary consid- ering the Suffolk County Water Authority operates more than 598 wells and has over 5,800 miles of water main.

In fact, because of their expertise, the Suffolk County Water Authority lab has established some specialized testing methodologies that have been adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency and are used by other laboratories across the country.

While we are devoted to safeguarding our customers from possible dangerous contaminants, we know an important part of that equation involves keeping those contaminants (pollutants) out of our water supply in the first place. Towards this end, the Suffolk County Water Authority was nationally recognized with the 2006 Source Water Protection Award from the American Water Works Association. This prestigious award recognizes the Water Authority’s ongoing work in drinking water protection, the Authority’s pivotal role in the cre- ation of the Pine Barrens Act and the ultimate protection of one of the largest groundwater recharge areas in New York State.

In addition to the actual test results, we have included a section on the Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) on page 3 of this report along with some useful general information as well as some information that we are required to include in this document by either state or federal regulation even though it might not be relevant to our water supply in Suffolk County.

We are extremely proud of our accomplishments and the level of service that we provide to our customers. Please read this report carefully and feel free to call us at 631-907-8068 if you have any questions or comments. You can also obtain a copy of this report as well as a wealth of information from our website at http://www.scwa.com

By BY TOM INCANTALUPO  tom.incantalupo@newsday.com

More than 25,000 Long Island homeowners may have to buy flood insurance that costs up to $2,000 because their homes are in newly designated flood-prone areas in federal maps that go into effect next month.

However, the homeowners can reduce the cost of a flood policy by buying coverage before Sept. 11 in Nassau and Sept. 25 in Suffolk — when the new Federal Emergency Management Agency maps become official.

For those who meet the deadlines, the rates should be less than $400 per year, which buys $250,000 in coverage for the house and $100,000 for its contents, said Denis Miller, a local expert on the subject and owner of Denis A. Miller Insurance in Long Beach.

Photo credit: Newsday Photo, 2007 / Thomas A. Ferrara | Tom Cormack carries a neighbor, Shannon McGhean, 9, through water that flooded his backyard in Freeport. (April 2007)

Congress ordered FEMA to redraw the maps — and about 25,000 homes in Nassau and 325 in Suffolk have been reclassified into floodplain areas.

Most of the homes moved into flood areas are in southern portions of Nassau County, and insurance brokers and government officials are trying to get the word out to homeowners who have not been notified by their lenders.

Although the maps add 325 homes into flood-prone areas, many more Suffolk homes — about 4,500 — were taken out of such areas when the maps were redrawn.

Long Beach City officials have mailed a reminder to residents about the changes and suggested that they act by Tuesday because there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage kicks in. But residents can lock in rates through Sept. 11. Homeowners who have flood insurance don’t need to do anything, even if their homes are in a new flood zone.

“If they already have flood insurance,” there’s no problem,” said Long Beach City spokeswoman Mary Giambalvo.

Here’s what you need to know:

Why the new maps?

Congress ordered FEMA to redraw its maps, based on updated topographical information on the “flood plain” — the normally dry areas where water will accumulate or flow during a 100-year flood event, such as that hurricane that ravaged portions of Long Island in September 1938.

What are the affected areas?

Nassau areas affected include the remainder of the City of Long Beach not already in the flood zone, most of North Woodmere and parts of Oceanside, Island Park, Valley Stream and other communities, Miller said. In Suffolk, the new areas include parts of the villages of Amityville, Asharoken and Sagaponack and other portions of Babylon and Huntington towns.

What can homeowners do?

Take advantage of the “grandfathering” provisions of the federal regulations covering the National Flood Insurance Program.

To spare homeowners from the shock of rates up to $2,000 a year, the rules permit homeowners in the new areas to purchase insurance until the new maps become effective at the old, lower rate classifications for areas that are not deemed flood prone.

Those lower rates stay in effect even after the new maps become effective. And if those homes change hands, the policies can be transferred to the new homeowner at the same rate, said James J. Callahan III, Nassau’s commissioner of emergency management.

Buyers of the homes without flood insurance face premiums of $1,500 to more than $2,000 a year just for that portion of their homeowner’s coverage, said Miller. He said grandfathering has been controversial because, in effect, the grandfathered homeowners are subsidized by those paying full price for the same flood insurance.

What is the National Flood Insurance Program?

FEMA has an arrangement with private insurance companies to sell and service flood insurance policies. A list of private insurance companies that sell and service these policies is available at fema.gov.

Under the program, FEMA said it provides the money to pay the claims, from premiums, not from tax dollars. The program was set up to reduce the taxpayer funding needed to provide federal disaster assistance.

Up to $250,000 coverage is available for homes, plus $100,000 for their contents. Policies also are available for condo owners and renters.

Who should buy the flood insurance in the new areas?

• Homeowners who do not have flood insurance — and are required by a lender to have flood insurance.
• Homeowners who do not now have flood insurance, are not required by a lender to have it but are considering selling their homes. “If there are two identical houses, one grandfathered and the other not, which one are you going to take?” asked Callahan.
• Homeowners without flood insurance who plan to refinance their homes or take home equity lines of credit. The lender probably will demand flood coverage.

How do I shop for insurance?

Since FEMA provides the coverage, rates will be the same regardless of carriers, according to Miller and the agency’s Web site.

Homeowners with mortgages should find out from their lender what level of coverage the homes require. Generally, $250,000 for the home is standard.

To reduce rates, consider a deductible higher than the usual $500 on these policies.

Homeowners should ask insurance agents for lower rates available if they obtain an “elevation certificate” from a surveyor documenting that your property is relatively high and less flood prone.

Click here to download the PDF flood maps for Nassau (1.7 MB)

Click here to download the PDF flood maps for Suffolk (5.5 MB)

http://ase.org/content/article/detail/6047

Age of the Water Heater

How often do you run out of hot water

How long will you live in the home

Current cost of repair

Rust Corrosion

Will you need a storage/electric-resistant, point-of-use, solar, direct or indirect water heater? The first decision in choosing a new water heater is usually the fuel source. A natural gas unit will cost less to operate than an electric model – the price difference can be paid back in energy savings in just a few months. If you heat with electricity and live in a warm and sunny climate, consider installing a solar unit. Solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be installed on your roof to blend with the architecture of your house.

Conventional Storage Water Heaters range in size from 20-80 gallons. Storage heaters send out hot water from the top of the tank. Cold water enters the bottom and slowly heats, but energy can be wasted when the storage system is not used. Newer models attempt to reduce this ‘standby’ heat loss and save the consumer money.

Of course, the capacity of a water heater is an important consideration. The water heater should provide enough hot water at the busiest time of the day. For example, a household of two adults may never use more than 30 gallons of hot water in an hour, but a family of six may use as much as 70 gallons in an hour. The ability of a water heater to meet peak demands for hot water is indicated by its “first hour rating.” This rating accounts for the effects of tank size and the speed by which cold water is heated. The models below are grouped by their tank size and listed in order of efficiency and first hour rating.

Demand (or instantaneous) water heaters eliminate the storage tank by heating water directly when there is a call for hot water. These units are experiencing a growing popularity. The energy consumption of these units are lower since standby losses from the storage tank are eliminated. Demand water heaters make the most sense in homes with natural gas and easily coordinated water requirements. Go for a model with electronic ignition to save the energy consumed by a continuously burning pilot light.

If you use a lot of hot water at certain times of the day – morning showers, for example – look for a model with a higher first-hour rating. This measures how much hot water the unit can produce in one hour. If you use hot water all day long, find a water heater with a fast recovery rate to ensure that you’ll never run out of hot water. The recover rate shows how long it take the full tank of water to heat to the proper temperature.

Energy factor

A water heater’s efficiency is measured by its energy factor. This number, shown on the EnergyGuide label, shows the unit’s overall operating costs, taking into account the heat exchanger efficiencies, as well as heat losses from the water tank.

Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 14% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, and buy a new, more efficient water heater.

If a repair fails in the first year, we will repair it again absolutely free. If for any reason you are not satisfied with our services, please do not hesitate to call our office that same day with any concerns, we will try to resolve it in a timely manner.

Universal Plumbing today announces the launch of universalplumb.com the website for Universal Plumbing. The CMS based website built by Scherr Technology features an HTML email response webform, search engine optimization and blog (Plumbing News).

About Scherr Technology

Founded in 1994 by Brian C. Scherr and located in New York, Scherr Technology is a full service media company specializing in website design, video enabled websites, search engine marketing, site redesigns and ecommerce services. Scherr Technology provides unique solutions to a wide range of prestigious clientele. With an emphasis on usability and design, the application of next generation technologies brings you best of breed services. Get prequalified responses from your Internet footprint that become real-world relationships. Visit Scherr Technology at http://www.scherrtech.com.

About Universal Plumbing

Universal Plumbing is a family owned and operated business. For over 30 years the professionals at Universal Plumbing have been installing quality heating and plumbing systems. We are located in Bayshore, NY in beautiful Long Island and service jobs throughout the New York Metro area. Visit Universal Plumbing at http://www.universalplumb.com.