The Septic System Replacement Fund Program focuses on improving water quality by providing funds to counties to help homeowners replace cesspools and septic systems that are adversely impacting designated waterbodies. Participating counties, as outlined below, provide grants to reimburse property owners for up to 50% of the costs (up to a maximum of $10,000) of their eligible septic system projects. The list of participating counties and their designated waterbodies was updated in April 2024.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health determined priority geographic areas in which property owners are eligible to participate based on the following factors:
DEC and DOH will re-evaluate priority waterbodies in future rounds of funding.
Participating counties are responsible for reviewing and evaluating the applications and determine financial assistance awards based on the program criteria. The following considerations are made: property’s location in relation to a waterbody, impacts to groundwater used as drinking water, and the condition of the property owner’s current septic system. After evaluating the applications and making the funding decisions, participating counties notify the property owners of their grant awards by sending them award letters.
The following counties are participating in the Septic System Replacement Fund. Funding is only available for the counties and priority waterbodies as determined by DEC. This list was updated as of Friday, May 24, 2024.
Please reach out to your local program contact if you have questions about whether your property is eligible for grant funding.
Participating County | Local Program Contact |
---|---|
Albany | Maxwell Ferris, P.E. 518-447-4620 [email protected] |
Allegany | Emily Owczarzak, MS 585-268-9766 [email protected] |
Cattaraugus | Robert W. Ring, PE 716-701-3437 [email protected] |
Cayuga | Ani Fish 315-253-1405 [email protected] |
Chautauqua | Jessica Wuerstle 716-753-4763 [email protected] |
Chenango | David Gorman 607-337-1673 [email protected] |
Clinton | Duty Officer [email protected] 518-565-4870 |
Columbia | Raymond Jurkowski 518-828-7011 [email protected] |
Cortland | Michael J. Ryan, P.E 607-753-5035 [email protected] |
Delaware | Nicholas P. Carbone 607-832-5444 [email protected] |
Dutchess | Marie-Pierre Brule 845-486-3404 [email protected] |
Erie | Jennifer Delaney 716-961-6864 [email protected] |
Essex | Hannah Neilly 518-873-3686 [email protected] |
Franklin | Ilona Russell 518-481-1409 [email protected] |
Genesee | [email protected] |
Greene | Warren Hart 518-719-3290 [email protected] |
Hamilton | Caitlin Stewart 518-548-3991 [email protected] |
Herkimer | Jim Wallace [email protected] |
Jefferson | Sara Freda 315-785-3144 [email protected] |
Lewis | Megan Krokowski 315-376-5423 [email protected] |
Livingston | Mark Grove 585-243-7280 [email protected] |
Madison | Scott Ingmire 315-366-2498 [email protected] |
Monroe | Brett Gobe 585-753-5459 [email protected] |
Montgomery | Alex Kuttesch 518-853-8202 [email protected] |
Nassau | Derek Betts 516-364-5860 [email protected] |
Niagara | Elise Jancef 716-439-7453 [email protected] |
Oneida | Jerry Jose 315-798-5064 [email protected] |
Onondaga | Jeffrey Till 315-435-6623 Ext. 4503 [email protected] |
Ontario | Megan Webster 585-396-1450 [email protected] |
Orleans | Darren M. Brodie 585-344-2580 x5510 [email protected] |
Oswego | Tim Stahl [email protected] |
Otsego | Otsego County Planning 607-547-4225 ext. 1 [email protected] |
Putnam | Joseph Paravati 845-808-1390 Ext. 43157 [email protected] |
Rensselaer | Richard Elder 518-270-2632 [email protected] |
Rockland | Kevin McKay, MPH 845-364-2508 [email protected] |
Saratoga | Dustin Lewis 518-885-6900 [email protected] |
Schenectady | Dominick DiCarlo [email protected] 518-386-2818 |
Schoharie | Shane Nickle 518-295-8770 [email protected] |
Schuyler | Darrel Sturges 607-535-6868 [email protected] |
Seneca | Mary E. Jump 315-539-1919 [email protected] |
St Lawrence | Jason Pfotenhauer 315-379-2292 [email protected] |
Steuben | Marie Myers Shearing 607-664-2266 [email protected] |
Suffolk | Julia Priolo 631-852-5811 [email protected] |
Sullivan | Heather Brown 845-807-0527 [email protected] |
Tioga | Daniel Scherrer 607-687-8437 [email protected] |
Tompkins | Douglas Barnes 607-274-6600 [email protected] |
Ulster | Dennis Doyle 845-340-3339 [email protected] |
Warren | Ethan Gaddy, AICP 518-761-6553 [email protected] |
Washington | Laura Oswald [email protected] |
Wayne | Drew Starkey 315-946-7200 Ext. 4 [email protected] |
Westchester | David Kvinge, AICP, RLA, CFM 914-995-2089 [email protected] |
Wyoming | Stephen Perkins 585-786-8857 ext. 5163 [email protected] |
Yates | Jeffrey Ayers 315-536-5153 [email protected] |
The program is administered by participating counties and each county has a Local Program Contact who can help determine eligibility and next steps for the program. Please refer to the Participating Counties section and find your county’s Local Program Contact and reach out to them.
If your county is not listed in the Participating Counties section then your county is not eligible for the program. However, you may want to reach out to your local County Health or Planning Department to see what other programs the county may have to assist you.
The list of eligible waterbodies is final. The legislation creating the program focused on improving water quality in those waterbodies that have documented impairments from septic system pollution. To meet the legislative intent of the program, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation developed screening criteria that focused on documented water quality impairments and potential for septic replacement to improve water quality.
New York City is continuing to build out the sewer systems in their jurisdiction, therefore none of the five Boroughs (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island) are eligible for the State Septic Replacement Program. Sewering is the best solution to improve water quality. People with properties on septic systems or are considering installation of septic systems are encouraged to reach out to New York City Department Environmental Protection to see what options are available. Below is the NYCDEP link for more information.
Counties which have identified priority areas will have received the following forms or letters for their use. However, they are also available here for their convenience. Clicking these links will take you off the EFC website.
Some counties have secured additional funds to work in conjunction with the State Septic System Replacement Fund Program.
The county has Community Block Development Grant (CBDG) grant funding up to $25,000 per household or business for a homeowner to repair or replace failing septic systems. The funds can be used in addition to the $10,000 of the State Septic System Replacement Funds. Rensselaer is using the CBDG funds to expand their program to help repair septic systems outside of the 250 ft limit of the State program. The CBDG funds are based on the homeowner’s income and can help them afford a costly repair or replacement.
The Suffolk County Septic Improvement Program provides up to $10,000 base grant. There is also up to an additional $10,000 that can be awarded to a grantee that installs a pressurized shallow drain field leaching system ($5,000) and/or toward the unit installation for low to moderate incomes eligible applicants ($5,000). Suffolk County also has low interest loans of up to $10,000 through the Community Development Corporation of Long Island. Additionally, Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island provide Community Preservation Funds.
Nassau County Septic Environmental Program to Improve Cleanliness provides grant funding of up to $20,000 to repair and replace failing septic systems with nitrogen-reducing system. 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.
If your county has secured additional funds and would like to showcase your funding program, please reach out to [email protected] so you can be added to the list.
Please note if you are an applicant in a county listed above, you are not guaranteed the funding outlined above. To learn more about your eligibility, reach out to your local program contact for details. Refer to the Participating Counties section for local program contact information.
Please refer to the State Septic System Replacement Fund Program Frequently Asked Questions on this page before reaching out to the listed contacts below.
For questions regarding eligibility and technical Issues, please contact:
Chief, Watershed Implementation Section
Division of Water
Department of Environmental Conservation