New County Project Will Connect Lake Avenue in St. James to County Sewer District
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone joined Smith Township Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, state and county elected officials and local business leaders today to announce a new county project to provide Lake Avenue businesses with sewer connections and $10 million A new grant to help advance the long-awaited start of construction on the Smithtown downtown sewer project.
“The County strongly supports the vision and commitment of Supervisor Welheim and the Town Council to demonstrate good planning for the entire downtown area of Smithtown Township,” Suffolk County Chief Executive Bellone said“We’ve already worked together successfully to bring the sewer into Kings Park and the next step we’re announcing today is to ensure Smithtown and St James’s business districts are eventually connected to the sewer as well.”
Smith Town Supervisor Edward R Wehrheim explain: “If I got a nickel every time someone said something like that, You’ll never see a sewer in Smithtown, not in your life anyway… Let’s say I can retire tomorrow, very comfortably. I’m proud to say that in just a few weeks, we will break ground on the first of three sewer installation and connection projects in the three city centers of our town. Today’s announcement by Magistrate Bellone and the work we have done with our talented team over the past five years has secured the funding needed to connect St James to the STP and put Smithtown on a faster construction track. This is what good government looks like.This is what we can achieve with those we serve when we work together“
As part of a revitalization project to significantly improve St. James’s Business Village, the Town of Smithtown previously completed the sewer main installation so that future sewer connections will not require future sewer main construction projects on Lake Avenue. The county’s new capital project will connect the town’s installed main to the existing county sewer district (Sewer District No. 28 – Fairfield), where the existing treatment plant is being replaced with new, state-of-the-art technology.
Analysis completed as part of the new facility design found it feasible to connect Lake Avenue businesses to the new facility at an estimated cost of $16.7 million. Bellone announced a $3 million allocation from the county’s Water Infrastructure Fund to finalize the project’s design, make it ready for construction, and make an initial contribution to construction costs. Depending on funding, the project could break ground in the spring of 2025 and be completed in the summer of 2026.
Allotment of $10 million in construction funding for the Smithtown Business District Sewer Project builds on ongoing efforts to secure the estimate needed to connect businesses along Main Street to the Kings Park Suffolk County Sewer District No. 6 Expansion Treatment Plant $90 million. The project has received a $20 million grant from New York State’s Transformational Investment Program (TIP), as well as a $3 million federal grant guaranteed by former Congressman Lee Zeldin.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer explain: “It’s a great day for Smithtown. I’m proud to have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars to build and upgrade Suffolk County’s sewerage infrastructure system, and I applaud County Executive Steve Veron for wisely reopening the Allocation of $13 million for America’s Rescue Program assistance – I’m fighting for money that’s hard to reach on Long Island – for transformational investments in Smithtown and St. economic development opportunities, and protect public health and the environment by stopping the flow of toxic nitrogen into our groundwater and waterways. These investments will help Suffolk County rebuild stronger after the pandemic, and I will continue to work every day to bring federal funding to bear Back to Long Island.”
Senator Mario R. Mattera explain: “Sewer expansion and construction is the best way to protect the environment while growing the economy. This amazing partnership between Suffolk County and the Town of Smithtown will help our residents, our business owners and our future generations, while creating jobs for our hardworking men and women. It is a pleasure that this critical infrastructure investment would not have been possible without the vision of Supervisor Wehrheim, City Council, County Executive Bellone and our Sewer Supervisor Peter Scully Standing with them as they bring downtown Smithtown and Lake Avenue in St. James into the 21st century.”
State Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick said: “Director Wehrheim and County Executive Bellone established a strong and productive partnership to develop the sewer infrastructure in Smithtown, Kings Park and St. James. Today, we’re taking major steps to move closer to our goal of revitalizing these beautiful inner-city areas for future growth and a better quality of life. Today’s announcement will help Long Island and New York State advance the cause of developing more housing options for their residents. “
legislator leslie kennedy explain: “Projects like this allow us to protect our precious single-source water aquifer for future generations, while strengthening our urban areas. Economic development and protecting our environment are not mutually exclusive.”
Marc Herbst, Executive Director of the Long Island Contractors Association said: “More than 360,000 homes in Suffolk County are disconnected from the proper sewer system, our wastewater goes into septic tanks that overflow into our groundwater, waterways and beaches. Not anymore. We applaud County Executive Steve Thanks to Steve Bellone’s tireless efforts to fund, modernize and expand Suffolk County’s new sewer system, LICA will continue to help advocate for a cleaner, better system. These efforts will not only benefit our residents safer drinking water and greater economic development for our region.”
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens’ Environmental Campaign explain: “We are making progress in the epic battle to upgrade our wastewater treatment system in Suffolk! Nitrogen pollution from outdated septic systems and sumps is causing harmful algae blooms in our bays, lakes and estuaries reproduction, hypoxia and fish kills. The good news is we know the solutions and our elected leaders are working together to implement them. CCE is pleased that Smithtown residents will be able to use 21Yingshi A century-old technology for treating sewage. We applaud Suffolk County elected leaders for their bipartisan work and raising $13 million for Smithtown Sewers. We look forward to enjoying healthier waterways in the near future. “
Hayduk Engineering, LLC said: “Sewering Lake Avenue and expanding the Sewer District #28 wastewater treatment facility will revitalize downtown St. James, stimulate economic growth, and improve the quality of our water. We are excited to be working on this project for the county, and we look forward to continuing to work with the town and community as the project progresses. “
H2M Architects + Engineers says: “H2M architects + engineers are pleased to be working with the Town of Smithtown during the design and construction of the sewer system for the commercial district along Lake Avenue. Once the delivery system to the treatment plant is installed, the service area will have the opportunity to The environment benefits when on-site sanitation systems are abandoned.“
