Suffolk County, New York, has been a model for tackling nitrogen pollution from onsite wastewater systems. Now, local grants to upgrade treatment systems are producing another consequence for homeowners: larger tax bills.
The county occupies the eastern tip of Long Island and is home to the wealthy communities known commonly as the Hamptons. Wastewater treatment at many county homes depend on cesspools. During the last couple of years, the county has been offering grants to replace cesspools with nitrogen-reducing systems. At the same time, the county and several municipalities passed laws requiring low-nitrogen systems for new construction and building expansions.
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