Tell County Legislature to let the people vote on water quality restoration fund

Over the last 50 years, research has demonstrated that the most significant and controllable water quality impacts facing our coastal bays and harbors is coming from our inadequate treatment of human waste. 

Thankfully, Suffolk County has spent the better part of the last decade, developing a forward looking and comprehensive action plan to effectively address this problem.  

Researchers evaluated the data, officials studied and authorized new technology for improved sewage treatment, experts modeled potential nutrient inputs and controls, stakeholder groups spent hours working with county officials and legislators to update county requirements for septic system approval. 

By any measure, this effort is a fact-based, science driven, outcome focused initiative as large and important as any environmental achievement I have seen in my nearly 40 years of conservation planning, policy, and advocacy – including protection of the pine barrens, and the East End Community Preservation Fund. 

Having said that, the largest challenge still remaining, is the creation of a stable and recurring source of funding that can sustain a wastewater improvement program sufficient to address the need created by some 380,000 private septic systems that presently offer little effective treatment, and which ultimately need to be replaced. 

Fortunately, earlier this year The Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act became part of the Governor’s budget bill and was subsequently approved by the State Senate and Assembly. 

At its core, the bill grants the Suffolk County Legislature authority to let Suffolk voters decide if they wish to create a stable funding plan through 2060, based on an 1/8 of a cent increase in the county sales tax. 

If approved, Suffolk homeowners would qualify for thousands of dollars to offset the cost of septic system replacement for the next several decades. The bill is also carefully structured to provide financial accountability, transparency, and protection against redirection to other programs. 

Given the past decade of work that has gone into this generational investment in clean water, the Suffolk County Legislature’s recent decision to table the matter (setting the stage to run out the clock on getting the measure on the November ballot) is incomprehensible. 

To date, those legislators who oppose letting the voters decide on this issue (from central and western Suffolk) have argued that they need more money for sewers, but the overall funding for sewer and individual septic replacement is balanced by proposed changes in the county’s existing Drinking Water Protection Program that will increase sewer funds. 

Moreover, sewer funds can also be heavily leveraged to attract significant state and federal clean water infrastructure funding, so the single argument offered, simply doesn’t hold up. 

Fortunately, this coming Tuesday (July 25), the issue will come back before the legislature one last time, before it is too late to get the measure on the ballot. Every Suffolk resident who cares about water quality should write, call, or email their Suffolk County Legislator (or attend the 2:30 PM hearing in Hauppauge) and tell the legislature it’s time to act for the future of clean water and let the voters decide this November.  Given the undeniable importance of our water resources to present and future generations, any other outcome is simply unacceptable. 

Bob DeLuca is president and CEO of Group for the East End, a conservation advocacy and education organization based in Southold.

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