The Port Washington Water District salutes Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board for its pursuit of a $3 million grant to go toward collecting and reusing greywater to irrigate the Harbor Links golf course. The golf course used 14,137,200 gallons of water in 2023 and this project will dramatically reduce that number, helping the PWWD achieve critical conservation goals.

(Editor’s Note: Greywater is domestic wastewater generated in households and buildings from streams that have no contact with wastewater from toilets,)

Irrigation is the biggest user of water not only in Port Washington, but throughout Long Island. Approximately two-thirds of all water pumped during the spring and summer is used for lawn irrigation alone, and golf courses use more water for irrigation than nearly any other type of property. Through this grant, the Town has taken the initiative to offset millions of gallons of water used at Harbor Links per year by recycling greywater, taking an enormous amount of strain off our water source and the infrastructure that supplies it.

Water conservation efforts like this are especially important in coastal communities like Port Washington. When we over-pump from our aquifer, we run the risk of saltwater making its way into our drinking water, an obvious detriment to public health. The collection and recycling of greywater for the irrigation of Harbor Links will significantly reduce the risk of saltwater intrusion, protecting the water quality of our entire community.

We at the Port Washington Water District take pride in our ability to serve our community and preserve our most precious natural resource, and it is always a pleasure to see our fellow representatives join us in this mission. This project serves as a phenomenal example of how we can all work together to protect our environment and we look forward to helping the Town in any way we can.

PWWD Chairman David Brackett

PWWD Secretary Peter Meyer

PWWD Treasurer Mindy Germain