Romaine Announces Step to Implement Water Reuse at Bergen Point Wastewater Plant

Proposal will save hundreds of millions of gallons of water

HAUPPAUGE, NY – Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and local officials announced on Thursday, December 5, a project for sewage effluent reuse at Bergen Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plan involves using treated effluent to irrigate the adjacent golf course and in the plant’s internal workings.

“This is one of ten county wastewater treatment plants that we are currently considering for water reuse,” said Romaine. “By utilizing what otherwise would have been a byproduct, we can decrease the pressure on our aquifer by hundreds of millions of gallons a year and even help recharge the aquifer.”

The project is based on Riverhead’s successful implementation at a town-owned wastewater treatment plant and golf course. Estimated to be in service within the next 18-24 months at Bergen Point, the reuse system is estimated to save 20 million gallons of water per year on irrigation alone. In addition, the internal plant mechanisms utilizing reuse water can save up to approximately two million gallons of per day.

“This project pilot will let Bergen Point be known for helping water quantity, as well as water quality. This is a great step forward to see if we can effectively take the wastewater and, instead of letting it flow into the ocean, use the effluent for irrigation and other purposes to help recharge the aquifer and reduce the nitrates in our water. I thank the County Executive and hope all these planned projects will work together to improve Suffolk’s water quality,” said Presiding Officer Kevin J. McCaffrey (LD-14).

“Moving forward, we need to do more recharging and water reuse. Bergen Point is just one of many sites where a golf course is close to a treatment plant. But golf course irrigation is just one example of ways in which we are now moving forward together, the Legislature and County Executive, to reduce the pollutants, replenish the aquifer, and improve our water quality,” said Deputy Presiding Officer Steven Flotteron (LD-11).

“It is great to work with County Executive Ed Romaine and his team of expert professionals on important water quality initiatives. I thank him for his continued commitment to the health and well-being of the residents of Suffolk County,” said Legislator Tom Donnelly (LD-17).

"The success of the Riverhead Sewage Treatment Plant's Water Reuse Program, which was a pilot and has been in place since 2015, has been phenomenal.  Suffolk County plans to build on this success with water reuse at the Bergen Point Sewage Treat Plant, partnering with the Bergen Point Golf Course next door. With the passing of Proposition 2 by the voters in November, the funding for infrastructure improvements exists.  With that comes the possibility of more water reuse projects throughout the County, which is an exciting prospect," said Legislator Ann Welker (LD-2).

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