The New Shoreham Sewer and Water Commissions held a meeting on June 21, in a hybrid format with in-person seating at the Block Island School gymnasium and virtual participation through Zoom. It was the commissions’ first attempt at a hybrid program, and some audio kinks still need to be worked out, but it served as a sign of things to come.Superintendent of the Block Island Water Company John Breunig discussed the possibility of other things coming down the pipe, specifically outdoor watering restrictions. The commission voted to authorize the superintendent to implement outdoor watering restrictions if he saw fit.Just like the rest of the island, the water company sees its greatest demand during the summer. The Block Island Water Company serves the island’s commercial district, and the months of July and August account for almost fifty percent of the annual usage.The water system relies on five active wells located in the Sands Pond wellhead protection area, with Fresh Pond as a backup source. As a sole source aquifer, Block Island’s water availability is a concern for everyone, whether in the town’s water district or not. There is a limited supply of fresh water, replenished only by rainfall.Breunig reiterated
