Nassau water agency lifts restrictions

While a large Nassau County water supplier Friday lifted mandatory restrictions on outdoor use, another in Suffolk is still asking customers to resist watering lawns and washing cars - at least through the weekend.

Long Island American Water, which provides service to 200,000 people in southwestern Nassau, said in a news release Friday it is "removing mandatory restrictions for nonessential water use."

The Suffolk County Water Authority, which services 1.2 million people, is still asking consumers not to water lawns or wash cars, but "things have improved considerably, with cooler temperatures and some rainfall, and that has alleviated concerns on the East End," said Jeff Szabo, chief executive of the Suffolk utility.

The company might consider lifting the restrictions after re-evaluating weekend usage, Szabo said.

The combination of an early July heat wave, lack of rainfall and high demand had moved many water districts across Long Island to ask customers not to water lawns or wash vehicles.

Long Island American Water spokeswoman Lendel Jones said a break in the heat and recent rainfall have alleviated demand from some of its customers, prompting the lifting of its mandatory restrictions.