Suffolk's raked in $3.8M in new sales tax to help fund sewer projects, Romaine says

Suffolk County has collected $3.8 million earmarked for a new fund to pay for countywide wastewater improvement projects since a sales tax hike took effect March 1, according to County Executive Edward P. Romaine.

The total generated through an eighth of a percentage point increase in sales tax, approved by voters in November, will help fund projects that officials say will improve water quality and drive economic growth.

“We’re depending on that because state and federal funding has not come through,” Romaine said Tuesday at an unrelated news conference. 

Last month, the Suffolk County Legislature unanimously adopted a resolution to appoint 21 members to the new Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Board of Trustees, which is tasked with overseeing the fund and recommending projects for approval.

That board will prepare a Subwatersheds Wastewater Implementation Plan that lists proposed projects eligible for funding and outlines how each project would improve water quality, according to county code. While the code lists a May 1, 2025, deadline for the plan to be submitted to the county executive, Romaine said Tuesday that has been extended into July and possibly August.

The delay was attributed to it taking "longer to constitute the committee," according to Romaine's spokesperson, Mike Martino.

Funds would be available to use for water quality projects in 2026, officials previously said.

The board held its organizational meeting April 22 at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge to elect officers, adopt rules of governance and set subcommittees and meeting dates.

Jennifer Juengst, the deputy county executive, was elected as the group’s chairperson.

Romaine said he will then submit the plan to the legislature for approval.

“I’m not going to try to make too many changes because that means I’m putting my thumb on the scale,” he said at the news conference.

The fund will allow 50% of revenue to be used toward wastewater treatment facility projects and the remaining half will be available for homeowners to upgrade individual septic systems, according to county code.

The tax could generate an estimated $3 billion by 2060 when the fund expires, officials previously said. The number of outdated septic systems in the county totals about 380,000, Newsday previously reported.

The 21 board members, serving two-year terms, all represent a different agency or organization that appointed them — a range from municipal associations to environmental groups to trade groups. The board next meets next Wednesday. 

Legis. Steven Englebright (D-Setauket), a geologist by trade and member of the new board, said Romaine spoke to the members at the inaugural meeting and outlined some priorities.

Englebright, a former state assemblyman, said he volunteered to draft a letter on behalf of the board to Gov. Kathy Hochul to push for state funding to complement the projects.

Hochul spoke Tuesday morning at Farmingdale State College where she outlined 2026 budget investments for Long Island. 

Englebright said he was encouraged by the governor’s message when she mentioned Long Island’s water.

“We have to protect the water,” Hochul said. “Water is everything.”

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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