100 more homes to be connected to village sewers in South Patchogue, with $10M in government funding

Suffolk County officials have awarded $10 million in funding to connect an additional 100 South Patchogue homes to the village's sewer system, officials announced Monday.

County officials are using American Rescue Plan funding, allocated for the county’s Wastewater Infrastructure Fund, to bring a combined 350 homes onto the sewer system in Patchogue. Some 250 homes are already being connected.

The county’s $10 million, given to it by the federal government, adds to $22 million in state funding allocated to the county's infrastructure fund last year for sewers in Patchogue. The sewer program is aimed at reducing the reliance on septic systems and reducing nitrogen pollution from raw sewage seeping into groundwater and waterways such as Patchogue Lake and Great South Bay.

Suffolk County, state and Patchogue village officials announced the funding at a site where construction is underway on Laurel Street, just off the Patchogue River that flows to Patchogue Bay.

“You can imagine the impact of water quality of homes that are right by the bay that are not connected,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “But [sewers are] a huge thing for all of us because it’s taking nitrogen out of the waterways out of our bays. ”

Connecting to the sewer system is optional for homeowners. The village covers hookup installation for homeowners, but requires residents to pay an annual $650 surcharge to use the sewer system.

Bellone said three-quarters of homes in Suffolk, or about 360,000 homes, are on old septic technology still polluting groundwaters and bays — a multigenerational problem the county and New York State is trying to address.

Patchogue Mayor Paul Pointieri said he hopes the project will connect about three-quarters of the homes in the village, in addition to downtown Patchogue and unincorporated areas east and north of the village.

Apartment buildings in the village and large-scale developments like at St. Joseph’s College are also required to add sewers with new construction, Pontieri said. He said this was the first major push into neighborhoods in the village.

“Hopefully, by the time we're done, we're hopeful to have about 350 homes … everything around the borders of the river and the bay will have sewers,” Pontieri said.

Some residents praised the arrival of sewers and avoiding the burden of pumping their septic tanks every year or two, costing up to $1,000, while others didn’t want to absorb the annual fee for hooking up to the sewer or the construction involved.

Regina Luna, 66, who lives across the street from where construction was starting, said in an interview she had just installed a new septic system at her home of 40 years. She said the drilling and construction of the new sewer makes her house shake.

“I guess there’s a benefit to it. It’s unfortunate that it’s been a long process for those of us who aren’t part of it, we’ve been dealing with the noise,” Luna said. “We already made our investment and also the fees and maintenance involved [with connection to sewers], I don't have any now. We weren’t keen on the idea.” 

The $10 million dollar expansion will allow for the connection of homes along Campbell Street, Argyle Lane, Smith Street and Pine Boulevard.     

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.