Peconic Green Growth Launches Wastewater Treatment Website
Peconic Green Growth, a non-profit dedicated to sustainable development on the East End, has just launched an informational website with details about enhanced wastewater treatment t for people wishing to upgrade their onsite wastewater treatment systems.
The website can be accessed online here.
The project was funded by a $20,000 grant from the Long Island Community Foundation to inform East End property owners about nitrogen-reducing treatment options for sanitary waste.
The site provides a general understanding of enhanced treatment and the typical classifications of enhanced treatment technologies, also called innovative/alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems or I/A OWTS.
The site then delves into specifics with a technology comparison chart and two-page data sheets on each technology. When shopping for systems, property owners need to evaluate which systems work best for their uses, site conditions, levels of treatment, and budgets. Maintenance and energy needs are other considerations.
“Water quality is a critical concern for the eastern end of Long Island, where roughly half of onsite systems are outdated,” says Peconic Green Growth Executive Director Glynis Berry. “The existing cesspools and septic systems do not treat for nitrogen adequately enough to protect the quality of aquifers and surface waters.”
The growing number of algal blooms and fish kills is proof of the need to act,” she added. “While Suffolk County is just finishing one pilot and starting another as it tests technology for applicability in our region, people are permitted to installed some form of enhancement. The choices will increase rapidly over the next couple of years. This website will help people to make an informed decision and be prepared to take advantages of incentives when and if they occur.”
Ms. Berry added that she developed the site with the knowledge that a third-party introduction to both proprietary and non-proprietary solutions would serve people’s needs while helping to accelerate the installation of upgraded treatment systems.
