Septic rebate eligibility expanded to 100+ priority Adirondack rivers and lakes
By Zachary Matson
New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul last week signed a new law that increases reimbursement rates for advanced septic systems. Homeowners who install these pollution-reducing systems can now get back 75% of the cost, up to $25,000.
Here’s what you need to know.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
$30 million increase addresses regional needs
Separately, Hochul announced a $30 million increase to the existing replacement fund, which also provides reimbursements up to $10,000 per homeowner for 50% of the cost of a conventional septic system.
“Access to clean water is a basic right, and communities from Montauk to Buffalo deserve safe, reliable water infrastructure,” Hochul said during a signing event on Long Island. Up to $20 million of the new investments are targeted for Long Island, where failing septic systems pose a major threat to that region’s sole source aquifer.
Failing septics are also a major issue for Adirondack waters and one that park advocates have pressed state officials to address with more investment and more robust reimbursement rates for homeowners taking on the costly upgrades. Pollutants leaching out of old septic systems exacerbate harmful algal blooms and threaten drinking water supplies.
“Failing septic systems are widespread throughout the park,” David Miller, clean water advocate at the Adirondack Council, said during a presentation to Adirondack lake association members last month.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
Program expansion and eligibility
To qualify for the septic reimbursement funds, property owners must live near an eligible waterbody. Counties are distributed a chunk of the reimbursement funds and administer the program at a local level. Last summer the state dramatically increased the number of eligible waterbodies, but demand for the funding still outpaces the supply, and water quality advocates say the need to overhaul old systems is widespread.
Photo courtesy of Lake George Land Conservancy
The water quality program expanded from around a dozen eligible Adirondack lakes and rivers the prior year, focused in the Lake Champlain and Lake George watersheds, to over 100 parkwide.
The Department of Environmental Conservation last year changed eligibility to include drinking water sources and unclassified water bodies within the forest preserve, significantly boosting the number of areas in the park that qualified. Counties have the flexibility to set varied reimbursement rates within those levels to maximize program participation or meet pollution targets. Counties had not yet been notified about their specific funding levels, according to the DEC.
Photo at top: Brant Lake on May 16, 2020. Brant Lake was one of dozens around the park that were included in the septic replacement program last year.
Photo by Gwendolyn Craig
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
I am likely eligible, but am I going to bringing down the wrath of God by applying? My septic tank is fairly new (plastic), but I have no idea of the condition of my leach field, other than I have not experienced any problems with it. If I run into major site remediations, that I prefer not to pursue, can I be fined? The leach field is likely over 50 years old – well before I bought the house 25 years ago.
Boreas, this is a great question. I wonder the same thing. I think there are probably a lot of people that really want to upgrade but will it open a big can of worms so to speak that you should really rather let sleeping dogs lie – to toss out 2 overused phrases in the same comment!
Or rather than a septic upgrade that still might leach some things you don’t want to in a waterbody what about an upgrade to a composting system.
Once again the taxpayer will foot the bill for some lakeside home’s new septic. And who can afford a lakeside home, certainly not the majority of taxpayers. The average price for a waterfront home on Lake George, NY, can vary significantly, but generally ranges from $817,243 to $3,526,875. Reimbursed 75% of the cost up to $25,000 from others money. What would be wrong with a low interest or no interest loan instead of the free ride?
I didn’t get the impression it was only for lakeshore owners only – but simply homes within a certain distance of the lake or a tributary. A small brook runs through my property that drains directly into the lake – but I am probably 1/4 mile from the lakeshore. Certainly not in the high-rent district!
I don’t get the impression for lakefront homeowners either from the article. But I do agree with Bill, if someone needs a new septic system they should pay for it. Not taxpayers.
From the article, “The water quality program last year expanded from around a dozen eligible Adirondack lakes and rivers the prior year, focused in the Lake Champlain and Lake George watersheds, to over 100 parkwide”. Lakes and rivers = waterfront.
I STILL HAVE THE BILL, WHERE IN 1986 MY FATHER PAID FOR A SEPTIC/LEECH FIELD—BUT NEVER INSTALLED! I HAVE A CREEK NEAR ME GOING DOWNHILL LIKE—-A MILE FROM THE LAKE. VERY FEW HAVE SEPTIC WATER SYSTEMS AROUND HERE, I THINK, BUT WE ARE IN THE ADK PARK