Nitrogen Pollution: A Long Island Environmental Hazard that Begins In Your Backyard 

By Christopher Clapp

It has been 15 years since scientists and conservationists began making the link between nitrogen pollution and the loss of eelgrass, shellfish, and saltmarshes on the East End of Long Island.

Through their work, it has become clear that the biggest source of nitrogen pollution is our reliance on cesspools and outdated septic systems to dispose of our wastewater. These systems were never designed to remove substances such as nitrogen from the waste stream.

There are serious health impacts associated with conventional septic systems and cesspools. Many cesspools built prior to 1970 were built from concrete blocks and have far exceeded their structural life span. If left ignored these aging pieces of infrastructure can “catastrophically fail,” which often results in a large sewage filled sinkhole in the yard which people and pets can fall into.

There is also the risk of non-catastrophic or “hydraulic failures,” which can happen when the ground becomes saturated with sewage related materials, and wastewater begins to surface on a homeowner’s yard, or worse back up into their homes. Early signs of hydraulic failure are gurgling drains, a circle of lawn that is always soggy, and more green than the rest of the yard. In winter these areas may take longer for snow to accumulate as the warm wastewater just below the surface melts the falling snow. Hydraulic failures typically require the homeowner to pump their system several times per year.

The final health hazard related to cesspools is the contamination of our groundwaters and ultimately surface waters. While much of Quogue receives treated county water for use throughout the home, on-site well contamination has also occurred. For those homes closest to the water there may not be adequate filtration time in the sand to remove the pathogens from the wastewater, making surface waters unsafe for shell-fishing and swimming. Most of the waters around Quogue are not certified for the consumption of shellfish or swimming for this reason, according to the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.

This decline is particularly evident in our waters where the tidal exchange is minimal due to Quogue’s location near the midpoint between Shinnecock and Moriches inlets. This lack of water circulation creates warm stagnant conditions that can trap pollutants.  The accumulation of pollutants like nitrogen is what causes harmful algae blooms such as brown tide, which turns the waters a coffee-like color. These conditions are harmful to fish and shellfish and also create low oxygen conditions that further make the bays hostile to marine life. Degraded surface waters also negatively impact fishing, tourism, and ultimately our quality of life.

Chris Clapp is a marine scientist who spent his early career managing shellfish and eelgrass research and restoration projects in the waters around Long Island with The Nature Conservancy. More recently he has focused on achieving policy changes at the County, Town, and Village level to drive the nitrogen reduction needed to restore coastal marine habitat and improve public health. Chris serves on several local advisory committees and is the founder of Clean Water Advisors, which helps homeowners and municipalities navigate their way through these complex processes.

 

Here in Quogue, water is all around us. Protecting these waterways is an investment in the health and well-being of the people and wildlife that make Quogue their home. Both are increasingly threatened by nitrogen pollution in our bays and waterways caused by outdated home septic systems.

That’s why the Quogue Village Board of Trustees is encouraging homeowners to consider replacing their outdated home septic tanks with state-of-the-art systems that remove up to 70 percent of the nitrogen that would otherwise leach into the ground underneath your home, eventually making its way through underground streams into our bays and creeks.

While the process can be disruptive and costly – to buy and install a current system currently costs between $25,000 and $40,000 — the good news is that significant funding is available to cover these costs.

The bad news is that money is just half the battle. Paperwork and diligence are also required, which is why the Village has created this guide to help homeowners tackle this challenge with as few headaches as possible.

The Village has also retained Chris Clapp of Clean Water Advisors to help guide you through the grant, permitting, and planning processes.  While you will have to retain your own contractors/experts to do the actual design and installation, Chris will be available to help jump start and explain the process.  He can be reached at chris@cleanwateradvisorsllc.com

 Does your septic system need replacing?

Today there are essentially three types of septic systems in use in our area: current nitrogen-reducing models, old septic tanks shaped like large cement donuts, and even older cesspools that collect waste that is released into the ground over time.

Since 2018, nitrogen-reducing septic systems have been required in the village for any newly built home or when a home undergoes a significant renovation.

Homes built on or near waterways with outdated septic systems or cesspools are most in need of replacing.

 Where septic refund money comes from

In 2015, Suffolk County became among the first municipalities in the nation to create a program to provide significant financial support to homeowners to upgrade to nitrogen-reducing septic systems.

Today, $20,000 in grant funds are available from Suffolk County’s Septic Improvement Program, which includes $10,000 from the county and another $10,000 in matching funds from New York State. Since 2016, Southampton Town also provides an additional $20,000 in rebate funds, which can be used to cover the cost of reinstalling landscaping and other costs incurred during installation.

Required Paperwork

To access these grants, homeowners need to compile documentation to support their application. It is important to remember that the paperwork needs to be submitted and approved prior to installation in order to be eligible for grant funds. Here is a checklist of necessary items:

• Current deed
• An original Certificate of Occupancy or “equivalent”
• Proof of Insurance
• Proof of property tax payment
• Paperwork identifying incorporating members or beneficiaries to demonstrate who is legally responsible for your home if your property is owned by a Trust, LLC or Corporation.

Paperwork that will be necessary for designing the new system and applying for permits will include:

• Property survey
• A layout of your house that identifies all bedrooms
• Any current or past NY DEC permits if your property is near coastline or wetlands

Septic failures receive priority

Any homeowner experiencing a septic failure, such as liquid waste coming to the surface or backing up inside a house, or who has what is known as a “block cesspool” (which are old systems made by hand from bricks or stone) receive priority in the application process if they can provide the following:

• Septic pumping receipts if you pump to empty your septic system or cesspool 4 or more times per years
• Photo of any sewer failure
• Photo of block cesspool

Notes on Paperwork:

1. The Quogue Village Building department has C of Os on file and can provide a copy on request.
2. The county determines the size and capacity of the septic you require for your house based on the number of bedrooms, which it uses to determine the potential number of people who live or could live in your house.
3. Your property survey must identify any underground utilities including gas, water and electric. In most cases the designer can utilize your current survey.
4. Soil samples are required to determine the shape and placement of the new septic system to avoid contaminating local ground water and are generally handled by the engineer or architect you hire to design the system and its placement.

 Next steps for homeowners

Once paperwork has been assembled, homeowners are responsible for the following:

• Hiring a “design professional” such as an engineer or architect to design the layout of the new system.
• Hiring an installer approved by Suffolk County
• Developing a plan to restore any landscaping disrupted by the new septic installation

The County has a list of installers and their baseline costs published on their website. You must use one of these county-approved installers to receive county funding and reimbursement.

If your application is approved, the County will pay your contractor to purchase and install your new septic system.

Once the installation is complete, the homeowner will have to pay for landscaping and irrigation to be restored. The cost to move water lines or other underground systems impacted by the install, as well as engineering, design, landscaping or other associated plumbing costs, are also eligible for rebates from the Town of Southampton of up to $20,000.

Timing:

Currently, the County grant processing period can take up to five months for non-failure upgrades.

If you have pumped your existing system more than 4 times in the last 12 months and can provide receipts that document your costs, you will get priority. If you have a “catastrophic failure” and a component of your existing system has collapsed creating a health and safety threat, you may be able to bypass most of the process and get a system installed immediately.

Once your Southampton permit is received you will also need a permit from the Village of Quogue, which typically takes a few days. The Board of Trustees has waived the fees associated with the issuance of permits for the voluntary upgrade of septic systems.

Installations of the septic system typically take no more than two days.

Links to funding applications

 Fill out a grant application, available at https://aca-prod.accela.com/SUFFOLKCO/Welcome.aspx

• Town Of Southampton Grant/Rebate

OTHER RESOURCES:

Suffolk County Septic Improvement Program

 

SepticDemo@SuffolkCountyNY.gov
(631) 852-5811

https://reclaimourwater.info/Septic-Improvement-Program

April 19, 2024

Dear Quogue Residents,

Hard to believe that we are already a month into the spring season given how chilly and windy the weather has been.  The days are finally warming up and beach weather will hopefully arrive soon.

Schmidt’s Country Market recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.  We are all so grateful to Dan and Karen Schmidt for bringing their talent and commitment to the Village.  As I said a year ago, it is hard to imagine how we survived before their arrival.  The Quogue Shop is now open and Homespun will be reopening soon. Please support all our merchants!

This coming Monday, April 22^nd, is Earth Day which has been celebrated every year since 1970.  I thought it would be interesting to share the history of the Earth Day movement as described on their website. The brainchild of a Wisconsin Senator, Gaylord Nelson, it was initially intended as an educational “teach-in” on university campuses to raise awareness about air and water pollution. From their website: “Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans – at the time, approximately 10% of the total population of the United States – to take to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development.” Earth Day 1970 has been credited with achieving a “rare political alignment” of diverse political and social interests. “By the end of 1970, the first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of other first-of-their-kind environmental laws, including the National Environmental Education Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act.  Two years later congress passed the Clean Water Act.”  https://www.earthday.org/

Following my last letter announcing the Village’s new initiative to accelerate the installation of upgraded septic systems, some fifteen residents have reached out to the Village’s consultant to explore the process.  I encourage all residents to look into this possibility.  If every septic system in Quogue were upgraded, especially those homes located along the seventeen miles of the Village’s waterfront, it would have an enormously beneficial effect on water quality. As an additional incentive, the Village will waive the permit application fees in connection with the voluntary upgrade of septic systems.

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the Town of Southampton’s Community Preservation Fund.  Since its inception, the CPF has made possible the preservation of over 4,000 acres of vacant land, as well as improved parcels of historic, recreational, and environmental value. To date, the CPF has purchased 14 properties in Quogue totaling 92 acres, with several more potential acquisitions in the works.  Of note, the CPF funded the purchase of the Village’s Wetlands Preserve on Dune Road, the “Snail House” property that serves our Village Beach, and the Pond House on Jessup Avenue where the Quogue Historical Society’s museum is located. In addition, twenty percent of the CPF’s funds can be allocated for water quality improvement projects. In that regard, the CPF recently awarded close to $500,000 for two such projects in the Village.  This is a work in progress, and I will have more to report in my next letter.  There will be a 25^th Anniversary Celebration of the CPF on Saturday, May 11^th, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at Good Ground Park in Hampton Bays. See below for more details.

While there are no major road works planned for this spring, there will be a few smaller projects. You may have noticed that Suffolk County Water Authority is installing a new water main on Dune Road from the Post Bridge heading west approximately 1,000 feet.  Once they have put the new main into service, they will return to repave that section of Dune Road.  The Village will also be repaving the western end of Dune Road. It will also be repaving Midland from Jessup Avenue to the post office parking lot.  We will then restripe the parking area in front of the post office.

I would be remiss if I did not include an admonition about traffic safety.  Apologies if I sound like a broken record, but please exercise caution at all times, especially on Jessup Avenue.  I see reasons to repeat this admonition daily as I look out the window from my office. Remember to pull your cars up to the curb when parking diagonally and do NOT make U-turns.  This includes NOT turning into one of the parking spaces in front of the market when heading south. And for cyclists, please dismount and walk when you are in the “downtown” stretch of the Village.  We have added signs reminding cyclists of this obligation.

Some repeat information – distilled…

BEACH STICKERS:

Applications www.villageofquogueny.gov

Processing time – up to five days

Weekday pick-up Fridays ONLY – starting April 26^th – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Saturday pick-up – May 18^th, May 25^th and June 1^st – 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Stickers can also be mailed to you – contact the Village office

LEAF PICK UP PROTOCOL REMINDER:

Pick up from April 15^th to May 15^th

Place leaves on street shoulders – NOT around hydrants and utilities or in the street

No plastic bags – No brush or cuttings

No leaves on Montauk Highway (Traffic Safety!)

LEAF BLOWER AND SUSTAINABILITY REMINDERS

Restrictions on the use of gas-powered blowers back in effect on May 15^th

Off-hour complaints? Contact Village Police

Complaints during business hours? You can also call the Building Department

Watering ONLY on odd/even days (your street #)

No watering 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Please cut down on the use of lawn chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers

Plant native plants!

And now for a few upcoming events:

Next Saturday, April 27^th, a group of Quogue residents has organized a Food Drive in support of Heart of the Hamptons. They will be hosting a table in front of the post office from 9:00 until 12:00 pm. Please bring non-perishable food for people or animals, and/or checks/money.

The Quogue Wildlife Refuge is celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 27^th from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm with lots of fun activities and environmental exhibitions.  The event is being co-sponsored by the Eastern Long Island Audubon Society and the Refuge. There will be a recycling collection area for old electronics.

Also on Saturday, April 27^th, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, the Library is hosting a presentation by author Lawrence R. Samuel on the “Making of Long Island: A History of Growth and the American Dream”.  The Library Gallery’s “Spring Forward” group show of works by local artists is continuing through May 8^th. Their next exhibit will be “The Art of Inspiration: The Design Spirit of an American Fashion Artist” with works by Audrey Schilt, on display from May 11^th to June 11^th, with an Artist Reception on Saturday, May 25^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The next of the new season’s Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions discussion program is scheduled for Saturday, May 11^th at 5:00 pm on the topic of “Pandemic Preparedness”.  Participants can join by zoom or attend in person.  As always, consult the Library’s well-packed calendar to sign up for their rich offering of movies and programs of all types. https://quogue.librarycalendar.com/events/month.

As noted above, the Southampton CPF is celebrating its 25^th Anniversary on Saturday, May 11^th, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.  The event is taking place at Good Ground Park located at 9A Squiretown Road in Hampton Bays.  There will be lots of fun activities “for the whole family” with a DJ, live animals, trail walks, games and crafts. Assemblyman Fred Thiele, the original sponsor of the legislation establishing the CPF, will also be giving a talk.

The vote on the Quogue School and Quogue Library annual budgets will take place on Tuesday, May 21^st, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Quogue School. There will be a presentation of the proposed budgets on Tuesday, May 14^th, at 7:15 pm, also at the Quogue School.

The Hampton Theatre Company’s 2023-2024 season concludes with the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by Steven Sondheim.  Performances begin on May 23^rd and run through June 9^th.  This promises to be an epic show! Tickets can be purchased at www.hamptontheatre.org.

Robert Treuhold

Mayor, Village of Quogue

March 19, 2024

Dear Quogue Residents,

We made it – today is the first day of spring! Our friendly groundhog correctly predicted an early spring as the season begins a day early this year. The “vernal equinox” arrives at 11:06 pm tonight marking the end of winter and the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The equinox usually arrives on the 20th, but it’s a day early because we are in a leap year.

At our monthly Trustees meeting this past Friday, Kim Payne announced that he was stepping down after serving for more than 17 years as a Village Trustee.  On behalf of the Village, I would like to extend our thanks and appreciation for the many contributions that Kim has made over the years. I am pleased to announce that Thomas Mullen has agreed to accept my appointment to fill the vacancy and serve out the balance of Kim’s term until the next Village election in June.

As noted in my December resident letter, the Village is committed to promoting and accelerating the installation of upgraded sanitary systems. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be reaching out to those of you who are prime candidates to participate in the subsidized County and Town Septic Improvement programs. In the coming days, we will be populating a page on the Village website that provides links to all funding programs currently available as well as some guidance as to how to get started. We realize this process can take several months to complete and requires a considerable amount of effort on the part of each and every property owner. To make this process less daunting, the Village has retained Chris Clapp of Clean Water Advisors to help guide you through the grant, permitting, and planning processes. While you will have to retain your own contractors/experts to do the actual design and installation, Chris will be available to help jump start and explain the process. He can be reached at chris@cleanwateradvisorsllc.com  Please note that you need to apply for the grants before you proceed with the installation. The ultimate goal is to clean up the ground and surface waters around the Village by seeing as many of you successfully through this process as possible.

While it is still a bit brisk out there, warmer days are around the corner and the Village will begin the annual processing of beach stickers and locker applications on April 1^st.  Application forms will be available on the Village website at www.villageofquogueny.gov.  Please follow the instructions carefully and take care to submit all the information that is required.  Please remember that applications may take up to five business days to process. Permit pick-ups will be on Fridays only from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, commencing on April 26^th, and also on Saturday, May 18^th, May 25^th, and June 1^st from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.  You can also elect to have the stickers mailed to you.

Please note that we have moved back the spring leaf pick up this year from April 1^st to April 15^th.  As I have pointed out in the past, delaying the spring clean up until after temperatures have reached 50 degrees for ten consecutive days provides an extended refuge for a multitude of beneficial species of butterflies and other pollinators. Consequently, this year the Village Highway Department will begin picking up leaves on April 15^th. Leaves must be on the shoulder of the street by May 15^th in order to be picked up.  Please do not pile leaves around fire hydrants or utility equipment.  The guidelines remain unchanged. DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS.  Bags will not be picked up, and you will have to remove them. No brush, such as twigs and branches, or lawn cuttings will be taken away, and mixing this debris with leaves will result in the leaves not being removed.  Brush with branches up to 3” in diameter may be taken to the Westhampton recycling facility free of charge from April 15^th through May 22^nd.  For more information, go to www.southamptontownny.gov.  Please inform your landscapers that for safety reasons, leaves may not be piled on the shoulder of Montauk Highway. Property owners and landscapers who take leaves from any Quogue property may arrange with the Quogue Highway Department to leave them at the highway yard.  This will avoid having piles in front of your property waiting to be picked up and blowing back onto your lawn.

On the subject of cleaning up, the Town of Southampton recently announced that it is again time for the annual Great East End Clean-Up, a volunteer-based program to remove litter and debris from roadsides, parks, trails, and beaches.  Last year, over 700 volunteers removed tons of garbage, metal, and tires that were sorted for recycling.  While the actual Clean-Up collection is not until the weekend of April 27^th -28^th, you can register beginning April 1^st and pick up garbage bags and disposal passes for the Town recycling centers.  All you need to do to participate is to select an area of public property and complete the registration form on line. More information is available at: https://www.southamptontownny.gov/calendar.aspx?PREVIEW=YES&EID=12114

For those of you who rent out your property, please remember that the entire dwelling (not a floor or a room) must be rented, the minimum rental period is 14 days, and a rental permit is required from the Village irrespective of the time of year.  Please get your applications in early, as you will need to schedule a safety inspection with the Village’s Code Enforcement as a precondition for renting your property. Rental applications and the rules governing rentals are available on the Village website at www.villageofquogueny.gov.

As summer approaches and more residents return to the Village, please remember to support all of our local merchants.  I will not list everyone for fear of overlooking someone, but did want to include a shout out for Mildred Wilkinson, the owner/operator of the Quogue Taxi (tel: 631-653-9347).  It feels like the right thing to do to support a longstanding Quogue resident rather than encouraging the presence of more non-Quogue car services on the roads of our Village.

And now for a few upcoming events:

The Hampton Theatre Company’s 2023-2024 season continues with Strictly Murder, written by Brian Clemens, directed by Mary Powers, and produced by Andrew Botsford and Roger Moley. Performances began on March 7^th, and the final shows are this coming weekend.  It’s a great show, and I encourage you all to attend.  Tickets can be purchased at www.hamptontheatre.org.

This coming Saturday, March 23^rd at 4:00 pm, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge is organizing a “Paint and Sip with a Raptor” event providing an opportunity to watercolor paint with a live raptor as your subject. The ticket price includes all supplies, a glass of wine and light snacks.  Space is limited so do not delay signing up. On March 25^th, the Refuge has organized their next Full Moon Night Hike, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.   You can register for these events on their website at www.quoguewildliferefuge.org.

The Quogue Volunteer Fire Department is organizing an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30^th, at the Fire House beginning at 10:00 am sharp.

On March 23^rd, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Quogue Library is organizing a presentation on Coyotes on Long Island by Frank Vincenti, founder of the Wild Dog Foundation, who will explain how people can live in harmony with foxes and coyotes.

On April 3^rd, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Chris Paparo, a/k/a the “Fish Guy”, will be making a presentation at the Library on Exploring Long Island’s Underwater World.

The Art Gallery at the Quogue Library is featuring the Quogue Historical Society’s exhibit of 19^th and early 20^th century photographs “Worth a Thousand Words”. The exhibit has been extended through April 3^rd.  From April 6^th through May 8^th, the Art Gallery has organized a new group exhibit on the theme of “Spring Forward”, with an Artist Reception on Saturday, April 6^th, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

The Library will again be hosting the Great Decisions discussion program on world affairs.  On eight select Saturdays beginning in April through November, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, moderator David Rowe and facilitator Susan Perkins, in partnership with the Library, invite you to attend in person or participate via zoom.  This year’s kick-off is scheduled for April 13^th on the subject of the recently negotiated High Seas Treaty.

 As always, please consult the Library’s well-packed calendar to sign up for their rich offering of movies and programs of all types https://quogue.librarycalendar.com/events/month

Back to the Refuge – on April 11^th at 7:00 pm, they will be organizing a virtual presentation by Alicia Whitaker, Suffolk Alliance of Pollinators Leader, on Getting Started with Native Plants, with advice on how to plan your garden to provide a haven for pollinators.  Please register in advance for the zoom presentation at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuitqj0tHNEhq8LFgkmQXqT3JQsJcrAl

And finally, while not Quogue specific, please note that Long Island will be experiencing a Solar Eclipse on the afternoon of Monday, April 8^th.  This is a very rare event, but please exercise caution and wear appropriate glasses.  More information about the eclipse and on local viewing spots can be found at the following links: https://patch.com/new-york/smithtown/solar-eclipse-long-island-how-see-it-pre-eclipse-events; https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/@5125123?iso=20240408

Enjoy the daffodils!

 

Robert Treuhold

Mayor, Village of Quogue

The Village Highway Department will begin picking up leaves beginning April 15th. Leaves must be on the shoulder of the street by May 15th in order to be picked up. Do not pile leaves around fire hydrants or utility equipment.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS. They will not be picked up, and you will have to remove them.

No brush, such as twigs and branches, or lawn cuttings will be taken away, and mixing this debris with leaves will result in the leaves not being removed. Brush with branches up to 3” in diameter may be taken to the Westhampton recycling facility free of charge from April 15th through May 22nd. For more information, go to www.southamptontownny.gov.

Leaves cannot be piled on the shoulder of Montauk Highway. Property owners and landscapers who take leaves (only) from a Quogue property may arrange with the Quogue Highway Department to dump them at the highway yard. That will avoid having piles in front of your property waiting to be picked up and blowing back onto your lawn.