Town Readies Septic System Rebates

East Hampton officials are set to enact a  law and establish a rebate program designed to get septic systems that contribute to water pollution out of the ground and replace them with newer ones that reduce emissions of nitrogen.

At a meeting tonight, the East Hampton Town Board is expected to set hearings for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at Town Hall on a law that will require low-nitrogen systems for all new construction and replacements of sanitary systems, and on a rebate program that could provide money for homeowners that would pay for all, or a substantial amount, of the cost of voluntarily replacing old sanitary systems.

Also this week, the town board is expected to vote on a resolution to initiate plans for a community waste treatment system in downtown Montauk.

Those who own existing houses in areas of the town that are designated as water protection districts and whose annual income is no more than $500,000 will be eligible for rebates equal to the entire cost of installing a low-nitrogen sanitary system approved by the Suffolk Department of Health Services, or up to $16,000. The cost of removing an existing system would be included.

Several systems were approved by the county for use following a pilot program; others are undergoing testing now. To qualify under the law, systems must reduce nitrogen levels in treated waste to 19 milligrams or less per liter. When and if systems are approved by the county that can further reduce nitrogen, to 10 milligrams or less per liter, that will become the standard.

Eligible existing-house owners outside the priority zones could receive a rebate covering 75 percent of the costs of a new system, up to $10,000, although those who fall within maximum income and asset guidelines set by the county for an affordable housing program can also have the entire cost, up to $16,000, covered.

The money for the rebates will come from the portion of East Hampton Town’s community preservation fund that can be used for water quality improvement. A county rebate program for septic system upgrades began earlier this month. Unlike the town’s program, however, only those within priority areas are eligible, and rebates are only available for new systems at primary residences.

 The priority East Hampton Town water protection districts are depicted on a series of maps. They include the areas in the town’s harbor protection districts around Accabonac, Napeague, Northwest, and Three Mile Harbors, as well as property surrounding Fort Pond, Georgica Pond, Tuthill, Wainscott, and Steppingstones Ponds, Lake Montauk, Hog Creek, and Northwest Creek.

Also on the priority maps are downtown Montauk and East Hampton Village, high-density neighborhoods in Springs, the Sag Harbor and Wainscott Pond Water Quality Priority Areas, the Lake Montauk dock area, Ditch Plain, Camp Hero, and the watersheds around southern Three Mile Harbor and Hog Creek.

East Hampton’s proposed new requirement regarding low-nitrogen septic systems will apply not only to new development but when there is a substantial expansion of an existing building and whenever a nonresidential property owner seeks site-plan approval.

In order to coordinate with Suffolk County lawmakers, who intend to enact a similar requirement, the town’s law would be slated to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. If the County Legislature moves too slowly, Supervisor Larry Cantwell said at a town board meeting on Tuesday, “at some point the town might have to take a stand” to get the regional authorities to recognize East Hampton’s more stringent requirements. “That could come in January should the county fail to act,” he said.