Wastewater Infrastructure Mapping

About the Program

Category: Planning (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

As an exurb of New York City, Suffolk County continues to grow and our 1.5 million residents now exceed the population of 11 states. The vast majority of residents and businesses in Suffolk County are served by traditional septic systems and cesspools. Interestingly, Suffolk County is home to roughly one-third of all of the private sewage treatment plants in New York State, but they provide service to only 1.1% of the total land area in the County. While the majority of wastewater is being treated via cesspools or septic systems, the source of Suffolk County’s drinking water is from the ground. In fact, aquifers underlying Long Island are among the most prolific in the country. In a move designed to provide critical baseline information for economic development and environmental land use planning, Suffolk County developed a GIS database on wastewater infrastructure. This new mapping tool is now used by the public and private sector to inform a region-wide perspective on the status of wastewater treatment infrastructure; the areas and populations served by this infrastructure; and the available treatment capacity.