There is a Limited Supply of Fresh Water on the North Fork

Contrary to Councilman Wickham's Assertion There is a Limited Supply of Fresh Water on the North Fork

"There was a lengthy process of developing a water mains map and I don’t want to try to go into all of that tonight, all I can say is there is adequate water in volume terms to supply and to support, according to the water authority and their data, to support this and all the other foreseen developments that will require water in the near future."
Councilman Wickham at the Town Board Meeting on Feb 26, 2008

For most of Long Island, obtaining enough water is generally not an issue (having adequate quality of the available water may be a problem). However, on the North and South Forks, and for the islands of the Peconic Estuary (specifically, Shelter Island), because the deeper aquifers are saline, having sufficient quantities of water can be problematic.
Valerie Scopaz, Southold Town planner

Ground-water withdrawals from the Lloyd aquifer in Kings and Queens Counties have lowered water levels in those two counties and in much of Nassau County. A large cone of depression dominates the potentiometric surface of the Lloyd aquifer in the western part of Long Island; water levels are more than 20 feet below sea level in Brooklyn, Queens and western southern Nassau County.
U.S. Geological Survey http://capp.water.usgs.gov/gwa/ch_m/M-text3.html

"Existing developed areas and expected infilling in coastal areas, where public water distribution is necessary [because of saltwater intrusion problems in wells], will consume available water supply."
Southold Town Water Supply Management and Protection Strategy by Chick Voorhis, Nelson, Pope & Voorhis Environmental Consultant

"Now it is ironic because I could see this, people talking about water quality and population and density growth. I am looking at a list of people who have probably, I have got one person here who has got four illegal apartments in their house. So they are already doing their part of gobbling up all the water. That is the problem."
Supervisor Russell at the Town Board Meeting on Feb 26, 2008