Suffolk County Government - Division of Water Quality Improvement

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Division of Water Quality Improvement

Phone: (631) 853-5946

Fax: (631) 853-5905

Goals

Suffolk County designed this division in order to protect and maintain the quality and integrity of Suffolk County’s ground, drinking, and surface waters. Providing critical protection of our groundwater resources is especially important here in Suffolk County, because we sit atop a federally designated Sole-Source Aquifer. Protection of the vast arrays of fresh and salt surface waters is vitally important in maintaining the social and economic advantages afforded by the natural aquatic environment of Suffolk County. The Water Quality and Improvement Division’s primary goal is to protect and remediate the quality of ground and surface waters throughout Suffolk County.

Responsibilities

Administrative

Supervises administers, and implements the ¼% sales tax funded Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program and Land Stewardship Initiatives (WQPRP) under Section 12-2 (B) of the Suffolk County Charter
Provides administrative and technical support to the Water Quality Review Committee (WQRC) which approves all funding through the WQPRP
Coordinates activities being performed by the County Department of Public Works and the County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation under Section 12-2 (B) of the Suffolk County Charter via personnel and / or consultants funded in those departments under the ¼% County Drinking Water Protection Program, Fund 477
Prepares applications for funding assistance through State grant programs, such as the Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act
Oversees all water quality improvement projects approved for grant funding
Represents the Commissioner at various public and governmental meetings
Serves on numerous committees and task forces as required
Maintain records and documents for all active Water Quality projects

Engineering / Environmental

Stormwater Management

Oversees all stages of stormwater remediation projects from concept to completion including design, permits, implementation, and inspections
Assists DPW in responding to public complaints that relate to illicit discharges to County-owned storm sewer systems and/or surface waters
Uses available literature to evaluate the effectiveness of various stormwater remediation practices
Coordinates with Cornell Cooperative Extension and DPW to ensure that requirements of US EPA Phase II are met with each project
Coordinates Vector Control Projects with DPW
Provides support on Department of Health Services (DHS) and Parks Department WQPRP projects
Coordinates various DHS projects related to Water Quality improvements

Field Crews

Identifies, cleans, and repairs drainage basins, systems cleaning grates, and drainage areas associated with WQPRP projects
Inspects contractor projects funded by WQPRP
Conducts IDDE inspections as part of EPA Stormwater Phase II
Locates stormwater outfalls maintained by DPW for EPA Phase II requirements
Visits all stormwater treatment units quarterly and reports on the condition of basins
Uses digital imaging to visually document condition and appearance of project sites
Keeps inventory of recharge basins and establishing maintenance schedules

Programs

Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program and Land Stewardship Initiatives

Funded under the Suffolk County 1/4% Drinking Water Protection Program for Environmental Protection (Fund 477)
Created by Resolution 659-2002; amended by Resolution 770-2007 and by voter approval this program has been extended 17 years (until 2030)
The WQPRP provides for funding to protect and restore water resources throughout the County. This includes both surface and ground water. Projects must be sponsored by the County.
The following are the categories of projects eligible for funding under the WQPRP:
Non-point Source Abatement and Control
Aquatic Habitat Restoration
Agricultural Non-point Source Abatement and Control
Pollution Prevention Initiatives
Land Stewardship Initiatives

Fertilizer Nitrogen Reduction Legislation and Funding

WQPRP funding was provided to reduce nitrogen loading to ground and surface waters through the overall reduction and better management of turf fertilizer applications. The bill includes the following measures:

Prohibits fertilizer application to turf between November 1^st and April 1^st, months when the ground is likely to be frozen (Agriculture is exempt)
Prohibits fertilizer application on all county properties at all times (County Farm, golf courses, athletic fields, and newly seeded or sodded areas are exempt)
Requires licensed landscapers to take a “Groundwater Stewardship and Turf Nutrient and Maintenance Practices” course to renew or obtain their license
Requires the posting of informational signs and brochures at retail establishments
Emphasizes education and outreach via coordination of existing programs and entities as well as a new interactive website to be developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University

o Companion bill IR 2156-2007 funds implementation

Invasive Species

Suffolk County continues to be a leader in invasive species control policies and funding -- the need to keep waters open for fishing, boating and swimming, our lands walkable, and keeping our natural areas rich in biodiversity is critical for our county's future. The Suffolk County Water And Land Invasives Advisory Board was created in 2009 to implement the county-wide invasives program.

Suffolk County Oil Tank Abandonment Rebate

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Division of Environmental Quality Office of Pollution Control offers a program that provides rebates of $100 per tank for the proper abandonment of underground fuel oil tanks in accordance with the provisions of Article 12 of the SUFFOLK COUNTY SANITARY CODE. This program helps eliminate source of possible ground water contamination through the potential leakage of buried fuel oil tanks.
If you would like an application package or have any questions regarding this program please call (631) 854-2519

Recent Achievements
“Protecting our groundwater from contamination and mitigating the damage already done is critical to the environmental health of this county”, said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. In 2007, the County Executive announced over $1.43 million in Water Quality Protection and Restoration projects, including for the first time initiatives to address groundwater contamination from Manufactured Gas Plants, to reduce nitrogen pollution from fertilizers, and to reduce or eliminate pesticide usage in the county’s vector control programs.
The Charter Law extending and accelerating the Suffolk County ¼% drinking water protection program for environmental protection was approved by the Suffolk County voters during November 2007. This law extended the ¼% sales tax revenue trust fund through November 30, 2030. An additional 0.50% share of the ¼% sales tax trust fund was implemented on December 1, 2007 to fund the Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program and Land Stewardship Initiatives (WQPRP). This raises the portion of the ¼% sales tax revenues apportioned to the WQPRP to 11.75%.
WQPRP -Through the WQPRP, Suffolk County has funded over $20 million in projects to reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate and prevent pollution of groundwater and surface waters, and to restore natural water habitats and wetlands.
Wetlands Stewardship Program– A State of the County initiative was successfully launched to assess and develop indicators of wetlands health, establish preservation and restoration priorities, and design and implement pilot marsh restoration projects for the approximately 17,000 acres of tidal wetlands in Suffolk County. Executive Order 4-2007 created the Wetlands Stewardship Committee and Resolution 367-2007 appropriated $220,000 to hire a consultant, both to help implement this program.
Management of 63 Active Projects- The Water Quality Improvement Division supervised 41 ongoing water quality projects during 2007. Of these 41 projects 27 were for Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control and 22 of these projects were Stormwater Remediation. An additional 9 total projects are ongoing for Aquatic Habitat Restoration and 5 projects are classified as Pollution Prevention Initiatives. The total funding to date for the projects funded through the Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program and Land Stewardship initiatives is approximately $21 million dollars.
Initiation of 12 New Projects- During 2007 an additional 12 projects were approved to be funded through the WQPRP initiatives. Of these 12 projects, 6 were for Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control and 2 of these projects are Stormwater Remediation. An additional 4 projects were approved for Aquatic Habitat Restoration and 2 projects are considered Pollution Prevention Initiatives.
Oil Tank Abandonment Incentive - More than 200 tanks were abandoned under this program in 2007reducing the risk of groundwater contamination. County rebates of $100 per tank have been provided as an initiative to citizens wishing to eliminate underground oil storage tanks.
IDDE under EPA Stormwater Phase II- A local law to prohibit illicit discharges and illicit connections to Suffolk County’s separate storm sewer system (IDDE Law) was signed in 2008. This law will bring the County into compliance with US EPA Phase II stormwater requirements.
Dumping of Dredge Spoil in Long Island Sound– Comments were submitted to the US Army Corp of Engineers at a PEIS scoping meeting in opposition to the designation of open water dredge spoils disposal sites within the Long Island Sound Estuary. These comments were included in a letter to U.S. EPA Region I.