Nassau County’s 2024 Groundwater Safeguards Transform Cesspool Maintenance Requirements for Long Island Homeowners
Nassau County’s commitment to protecting its sole-source aquifer has reached a critical milestone in 2024, with enhanced groundwater protection measures that significantly impact cesspool maintenance requirements for homeowners across Long Island. The aquifer system was designated a sole-source aquifer by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties have established the Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection (LICAP) to identify mechanisms for implementing safeguards to maintain the quantity of water within the aquifer.
The Aquifer Protection Crisis
In Nassau County, we’re experiencing what’s called groundwater mining, which means that we’re taking more water out of the groundwater system than the rain is able to replace naturally. Nitrogen pollution from cesspools and septic systems has been identified as a leading cause of degraded surface water quality on Long Island, with approximately 40,000 residential properties on the North Shore of Nassau County currently served by cesspools and septic systems.
Long Island’s sole source aquifers are used to supply water to more than 2.8 million New Yorkers, with factors such as over-pumping, population increase, pollutants, and climate change stressing the aquifer system and public water supply.
2024 Regulatory Updates and Requirements
The list of participating counties and their designated waterbodies was updated in April 2024, bringing new areas under stricter regulatory oversight. These changes have created the most comprehensive overhaul of cesspool maintenance requirements in decades.
Key maintenance requirements now include:
- Homeowners and businesses must have their systems inspected every three years and must submit a report to the county to ensure that the systems are functioning properly and are not contributing to nitrogen pollution
- All property owners in Nassau County must have their septic systems inspected every five years by a licensed professional, including a visual inspection of the system and a test of the system’s functionality
- Maintenance agreements are required for the life of the system and proof must be shown to the County or its designated agent each year, with maintenance agreements typically costing about $300 per year
Financial Support for Homeowners
Nassau County and New York State have created the Septic Environmental Program to Improve Cleanliness (S.E.P.T.I.C.) which provides grant funding of up to $20,000.00 to eligible homeowners, not-for-profits, and small businesses to replace conventional septic systems and cesspools with nitrogen-reducing innovative and alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems.
Nassau County uses $10,000 of federal funds from the American Recovery Plan Act in conjunction with $10,000 from State Septic System Replacement Grant funds. The Program has been awarded over $8 million to fund approximately 400 upgrades to nitrogen-reducing technologies, of which 186 have been installed as of July 30, 2025.
Technology Requirements
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has determined that conventional septic systems and cesspools on Long Island are considered failing since they are neither designed, nor capable of removing significant amounts of nitrogen. Advanced wastewater treatment systems use technology to remove more nitrogen from wastewater than traditional septic systems or cesspools, helping to protect the environment and public health by reducing the amount of nitrogen that enters the groundwater.
Professional Service Requirements
The enhanced regulations require certified professionals for installation and maintenance of these advanced systems. When Nassau County homeowners need reliable Cesspool Services Nassau County, NY, they require companies that understand both the technical requirements and local regulations.
Antorino & Sons is a family-owned and operated cesspool company serving Long Island, focused on building relationships with customers and providing solutions that last, with local knowledge of Long Island’s unique soil and water table challenges. The company provides 24/7 emergency service and guarantees customer satisfaction.
Impact on Property Values and Compliance
Installing an IA OWTS system has been shown to increase property values in some instances. IA OWTS can be more cost effective than conventional systems on lots with significant site constraints such as high groundwater, poor soils, small restrictive lot size, and coastal areas, with separate replaceable components rather than requiring complete system replacement.
If any issues are found during inspection, property owners must have them repaired within a certain timeframe, making compliance with new septic system laws essential for Nassau County property owners.
The Future of Long Island’s Water Resources
The Long Island Groundwater Sustainability Project is a multi-phase effort initiated in 2016 to develop a comprehensive state-of-the-art 3D groundwater model to understand Long Island’s sole source aquifer and help make informed, scientifically driven water-use decisions.
There are many good reasons to preserve groundwater, whether for drinking water, ecology, or sustainability, with experts asking people to start conservation practices now rather than waiting for drought conditions.
Nassau County’s 2024 aquifer protection plan represents a comprehensive approach to safeguarding Long Island’s water future. By implementing stricter maintenance requirements, providing financial incentives, and mandating advanced treatment technologies, the county is taking decisive action to protect the sole-source aquifer that serves millions of residents. Homeowners who stay ahead of these requirements through regular maintenance and system upgrades will not only ensure compliance but also contribute to preserving Long Island’s precious groundwater resources for future generations.