Suffolk County, NY - November 10, 2014 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone reminds residents the deadline to enter the County’s free advanced wastewater treatment system lottery is Friday, November 14, 2014.  The lottery is part of the County’s state-of-the art septic demonstration program that will select 19 single family homeowners to receive a free advanced wastewater treatment system that greatly reduces nitrogen contamination – including free installation, monitoring and maintenance for five years.

Currently, there are no advanced systems permitted for use in Suffolk County.  This lottery is part of a program to install advanced systems throughout the county in order to test them in different types of terrain so that they can be permitted for general use.  However, many of these advanced wastewater treatment systems were observed by county experts on a tour of septic programs conducted in other states in the Northeast.  The County is modeling its homeowner education program on the very successful program that has been in place in Rhode Island over the past fifteen years.

“This is a great deal for homeowners who want a free advanced system and want to help be a part of solving our water quality crisis,” County Executive Bellone said.  “Don’t wait for your old cesspool or septic to fail, enter this program today.”

The pilot program is part of Suffolk County’s Reclaim Our Water initiative, a comprehensive plan to improve the County’s water quality, restore the region’s natural storm barriers by eradicating nitrogen pollution by means of sewering targeted areas and implementing advanced on-site wastewater treatment systems.  Residents are encouraged to log onto www.suffolkcountyny.gov to fill out an application.

The 19 systems were donated by four national manufacturers, BUSSE Green Technologies, Norweco, Orenco Systems and Hydro-Action Industries, all of whom have extensive experience across the country, as well as Europe, in removing excess nitrogen from residential and commercial properties.  The advanced wastewater treatment systems are valued at up to $15,000 per system.

The firms will also work with Suffolk County officials and the County’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs throughout the process to develop an extensive job training program to bring more septic and wastewater-oriented employment opportunities to Suffolk County.  The program will additionally help to create a homeowner awareness program to provide residents information on proper septic system maintenance protocols in an effort to reduce nitrogen levels.

For more information on Suffolk County’s septic demonstration program, as well as the detailed report on its septic tour, visit the website.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced the launch of the lottery on October 15, 2014 with several officials, including County Legislator Al Krupski, Suffolk County Departments of Health, Public Works and Economic Development and Planning along with environmental advocates and wastewater experts.