The cesspool behind the house in Bayville has been pumped twice since spring, and the company says it is done. You have heard Nassau pays toward a new system. It does, up to $20,000, but only for the right kind of system, on the right kind of property, with the paperwork filed in the right order.
Who can apply
From Nassau’s program pages, an eligible property:
- is a single-family or two-family home, a nonprofit, or a small business with an existing design flow of 1,000 gallons a day or less
- is replacing an existing cesspool or septic system with a new nitrogen-reducing system
- had that system installed after March 1, 2018
- has a valid certificate of occupancy or existing use from its city, town or village
- is not connected to a public or private sewer
- has no outstanding or open property tax liens
A property inside a sewer district that cannot connect because of site constraints may still qualify, if the district documents it. Not sure about your street? Nassau links a Check for Sewer Service lookup from the program page.
The six systems it pays for
Only these are eligible for reimbursement, per the county’s roadmap:
- Fuji Clean CEN Series
- Hydro-Action AN Series
- Norweco HydroKinetic
- Norweco Singulair TNT
- Orenco Advantex AX20-RT
- SeptiTech STAAR
If an installer proposes something else, it will not be reimbursed under this program.
How the money flows
Nassau reimburses. The grant pays installation costs first; anything left over can reimburse some or all of the design cost. The county’s flyer says the funds are not taxable income and no 1099 is issued. NYSDEC’s description of the money is $10,000 of federal American Rescue Plan funds plus $10,000 from the state Septic System Replacement Fund.
The application, step by step
Nassau’s roadmap lays it out:
- Apply through the Nassau S.E.P.T.I.C. portal.
- The Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District reviews the application.
- Upload four documents before any reimbursement: stamped architectural or engineering drawings submitted to your local building department, that department’s approved permit, the certificate of occupancy or equivalent, and a signed three-year maintenance agreement for the system.
- Those documents are due within one year of your original application date.
- You have twelve months from the first application to finish the installation, local approvals included.
The maintenance you are signing up for
This is the part people skim. Nassau’s FAQ says these systems need inspection and maintenance at least once a year, that maintenance agreements are required for the life of the system, and that failing to show proof of a contract can mean paying the grant back.
Who can do the work
The county’s flyer requires contractors to hold a Nassau County home improvement license and carry appropriate insurance. Because state law keeps design and installation in separate firms, plan on hiring a designer and an installer. Our license guide shows how to look up the Nassau license.
How it has gone so far
A 2022 paper by the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District says the program launched in May 2021 with enough money for 200 grants, and that by September 2022 the average design and installation cost was $24,115. The county’s FAQ now says there is enough county and state money for 403 grants.
Who to contact
- Email: SepticReplace@nassaucountyny.gov
- Phone: 516-364-5861
- Department of Public Works, 1194 Prospect Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590