Manhasset businesses can connect to public sewers after $5 million project

Businesses on Plandome Road in Manhasset that have used septic tanks for years — and struggle with the cost to maintain them — will be able to connect to a public sewer system soon as part of a $5 million project, officials said.

The $5 million main line — completed in early October — will convey sewage from local businesses to the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District's plant. About 180 businesses can connect to the main line, which spans 3,500 feet and begins at the intersection of Plandome Road and Northern Boulevard, officials said.

The main line will be a boon for local businesses, said Robert Donno, a member of the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce.

"When we put this together, part of the reason was to improve the viability of bringing businesses to Manhasset that belong in Manhasset. There are a lot of empty storefronts; landlords are having difficulty renting," Donno said. "If there were sewers, that would improve the attractiveness of Manhasset to bring businesses into our community."

Thomas Pagonis, co-owner of Louie’s, a classic diner with American fare, said it had cost about $70,000 annually to maintain the septic systems. The diner closed for renovations last summer and had its cesspools dredged. Now he spends about $1,400 every two weeks to maintain the systems. He said he expects maintenance costs to drop precipitously once the building is hooked up to sewers.

"We can’t wait," Pagonis said. "It was horrific having it for all these years."

Assemb. Gina Sillitti (D-Manorhaven) secured the $5 million in April 2022.

"It was right after COVID. Businesses were struggling to bounce back," Sillitti said. She said she is hopeful that this program allows business owners to "keep going and stay here."

The line was constructed over 13 months during evenings using so-called "directional drilling." The drill goes into the ground head on before it is turned at a 90-degree angle.

"The drill goes down anywhere from 4 to 8 feet, and then it drills horizontally to the next hole that you open, which is usually about 200 or 300 feet away," said Steve Reiter, chairman of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District’s board of commissioners. "The pipe goes in without digging up the entire roadway. You've just opened up pits."

The project will also have a "substantial" environmental benefit given Plandome Road's close proximity to Manhasset Bay, said Adrienne Esposito, executive director and cofounder of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Wastewater from septic systems can mix with groundwater, before discharging into bodies of water, she said. That process can contribute to algal blooms, which can be harmful to marine life.

"All of that nitrogen feeds algae growth, because plan ts love nitrogen," Esposito said. With lower oxygen levels in the waters, "the more fish kills you have; the more turtles die off; the more brown [the] water gets."

Pagonis said it will likely cost his business about $70,000 to connect to the main line.

The Town of North Hempstead has allocated $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to reimburse businesses for sewer hookups. The money will be distributed evenly among participating businesses, town officials said.

“We’re happy to work with the business owners and see this project through to fruition," town spokesman Umberto Mignardi said. "It’s going to make a substantial difference not only in their costs, but in the environmental impact.”

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.