Vote Yes to Protect Suffolk County’s Water Quality

Vote Yes to Protect Suffolk County’s Water Quality

We, the residents of Suffolk County, have a critical opportunity to protect our water quality by approving Ballot Proposition Two on this coming Election Day, November 5th.

On June 25th, 2024, the Suffolk County Legislature voted in favor with 16 votes (2 legislators were not present) to approve Introductory Resolution 1461 to extend and revise the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program and to establish a new Water Quality Restoration Fund. The resolution was then signed into law by Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine on July 8th, setting into motion the chance for voters to make the final decision in November.

Suffolk County, home to more than 1.5 million people, currently relies on more than 380,000 cesspools and wastewater systems, the majority in environmentally sensitive areas ill-equipped to handle wastewater treatment. The lack of proper infrastructure has been a significant cause of nitrogen pollution in our bays, harbors, and groundwater, contributing to harmful algae blooms, fish kills, as well as significant barriers to sustainable economic growth.

When the original proposal was first presented to the Suffolk County Legislature back in 2023, the Republican Majority expressed concerns that the allocation formula of funding towards sewers and innovative alternative septic systems, I/A systems, would not have the intended positive environmental impact of the plan, nor lead to fair dispersal of funds across the County.

        The resulting Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act, if approved by the voters in November, creates a long-term plan to expand and upgrade our aging wastewater infrastructure. For the appropriate areas, this means sewers. For others, including many north shore communities, it means I/A systems. Additionally, the revenues generated from this plan would allow Suffolk to apply for much needed matching grant funding from the state and federal governments.

        A yes vote on Proposition 2 means improved water quality, good economics, and good sense.

Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, District 18