Overview
Homeowners: Reach out to your local program contact if you have questions about whether your property is eligible for grant funding.
The Septic System Replacement Fund Program provides funding to counties to help homeowners replace cesspools and septic systems. 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 has been updated as of Sept. 8, 2022.
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:
- Presence of a sole-source aquifer used for drinking water
- Known water quality impairment linked to failing septic systems, and/or
- The ability for septic system upgrades to mitigate water quality impairments.
DEC and DOH will re-evaluate priority waterbodies in future rounds of funding.
Eligibility
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.
Eligible Projects
- Replacement of a cesspool with a septic system; or
- Installation, replacement or upgrade of a septic system or septic system components;
- Installation of enhanced treatment technologies, including an advanced nitrogen removal system.
Eligible Costs
- Design and installation costs
- Costs of the system
- System components
- Enhanced treatment technologies
- Design costs (limited only to work needed to complete approved design)
Ineligible Costs
- Routine maintenance such as pump out of a septic tank
- Expenses that are not appropriately documented
- Government permit fee
- Interest and late fees
- Fines and penalties
- Sales tax payment
- Non-essential site beautification or interior plumbing changes
- Administrative work conducted by the engineer
- Construction observation by the engineer if the engineer, or an entity owned, controlled by or employing the engineer, is also conducting the repair or replacement
Participating Counties
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 listed below. This list was updated as of Aug. 9, 2023.
Please reach out to your local program contact if you have questions about whether your property is eligible for grant funding.
Participating County | Eligible Waterbodies | Local Program Contact |
---|---|---|
Allegany | *Canacadea Creek, Upper, and minor tribs (0503-0005) | Tyler J. Shaw 585-268-9254 [email protected] |
Broome | Park Creek and tribs (0601-0031) *Whitney Point Lake/Reservoir (0602-0004) *Fly Pond, Deer Lake, *Sky Lake (1404-0038) | Creig Hebdon 607-778-2863 [email protected] |
Cayuga | Owasco Lake (0706-0009) Lake Como (0705-0029) Cayuga Lake, Main Lake, Mid-South (0705-0050) Cayuga Lake, Main Lake, Mid-North (0705-0025) Cayuga Lake, Northern End (0705-0030) Skaneateles Lake (0707-0004) | Eileen O'Connor 315-253-1244 [email protected] |
Chautauqua | *Findley Lake (0202-0004) Chautauqua Lake, North (0202-0072) | Jessica Wuerstle 716-753-4763 [email protected] |
Chenango | *Chenango Lake (0601-0013) *Guilford Lake (0601-0012) | Isaiah Sutton P: 607-337-1673 F: 607-337-1720 [email protected] |
Clinton | Isle LaMotte (1000-0001) |
Ryan Davies |
Columbia | Robinson Pond (1308-0003) Copake Lake (1310-0014) |
Raymond Jurkowski Jack Mabb |
Cortland | Skaneateles Lake (0707-0004) |
Michael J. Ryan, P.E |
Delaware | Susquehanna River, Main Stem (0601-0020) | Nick Carbone [email protected] 607-832-5437 |
Dutchess | Hillside Lake (1304-0001) Sylvan Lake (1304-0029) | Marie-Pierre Brule 845-486-3464 [email protected] |
Erie | Ransom Creek, Lower, and tribs (0102-0004) Ransom Creek, Upper, and tribs (0102-0027) Muddy Creek, Lower, and tribs (0104-0051) | Jennifer Delaney 716-961-6864 [email protected] |
Essex | Willsboro Bay (1001-0015) Lake George (1006-0016) | Anna Reynolds 518-873-3895 [email protected] |
Genesee | Tonawanda Creek, Middle, Main Stem (0102-0002) Bowen Brook and tribs (0102-0036) Bigelow Creek and tribs (0402-0016) Oatka Creek, Middle and minor tribs (0402-0031) | Thomas Sacco 585-344-2580 Ext. 5496 [email protected] |
Hamilton | Lake Eaton (0903-0056) |
Caitlin Stewart |
Herkimer | North Winfield Creek and Tribs (0601-0035) | Jim Wallace [email protected] |
Jefferson | Moon Lake (0905-0093) Guffin Bay (0303-0025) Saint Lawrence River, Main Stem (0901-0004) *Red Lake (0906-0039) *Indian River, Lower, and minor tribs (0906-0021) *Indian River, Middle, and minor tribs (0906-0005) *Indian River, Middle, and minor tribs (0906-0030) *Indian River, Middle, and minor tribs (0906-0031) *Indian River, Middle, and minor tribs (0906-0032) | Sara Freda 315-785-3144 [email protected] |
Lewis | Beaver River, Lower, and tribs (0801-0187) | Casandra Buell [email protected] |
Livingston | Conesus Lake (0402-0004) | Mark Grove 585-243-7280 [email protected] |
Monroe | *Irondequoit Bay (0302-0001) Mill Creek and tribs (0302-0025) Shipbuilders Creek and tribs (0302-0026) Minor Tribs to Irondequoit Bay (0302-0038) Hundred Acre Pond (0302-0034) | Brett Gobe 585-753-5459 [email protected] |
Nassau | County Wide | Derek Betts 516-364-5860 [email protected] |
Onondaga | Skaneateles Lake (0707-0004) Seneca River, Lower, Main Stem (0701-0008) | Jeffrey Till 315-435-6623 Ext. 4503 [email protected] |
Ontario | Honeoye Lake (0402-0032) *Canadice Lake (0402-0002) *Canandaigua Lake (0704-0001) *Hemlock Lake (0402-0011) *Seneca Lake, Main Lake, North (0705-0026) *Seneca Lake, Main Lake, Middle (0705-0021) | Megan Webster 585-396-1450 [email protected] |
Otsego | Goodyear Lake (0601-0015) Susquehanna River, Main Stem (0601-0020) | Tammie Harris 607-547-4228 [email protected] |
Putnam | Oscawana Lake (1301-0035) East Branch Croton, Middle, and tribs (1302-0055) Palmer Lake (1302-0103) | Joseph Paravati 845-808-1390 Ext. 43157 [email protected] |
Rensselaer | Nassau Lake (1310-0001) | Richard Elder 518-270-2632 [email protected] |
Saint Lawrence | Saint Lawrence River, Main Stem (0901-0004) Raquette River, Lower, and minor tribs (0903-0059) Little River and tribs (0905-0090) | Jason Pfotenhauer 315-379-2292 [email protected] |
Saratoga | *Dwaas Kill and tribs (1101-0007) | Dustin Lewis 518-885-6900 [email protected] |
Schoharie | *Summit Lake (1202-0014) | Shane Nickle 518-295-8770 [email protected] |
Schuyler | Waneta Lake (0502-0002) Lamoka Lake and Mill Pond (0502-0001) | Darrel Sturges 607-535-6868 [email protected] |
Seneca | Cayuga Lake, Main Lake, Mid-North (0705-0025) Cayuga Lake, Northern End (0705-0030) Cayuga Lake, Main Lake, Mid-South (0705-0050) | Mary E. Jump 315-539-1919 [email protected] |
Steuben | Smith Pond (0502-0012) *Almond Lake (0503-0003) Waneta Lake (0502-0002) *Lamoka Lake and Mill Pond (0502-0001) *Keuka Lake (0705-0003) | Marie Myers Shearing 607-664-2266 [email protected] |
Suffolk | County Wide |
Julia Priolo |
Tompkins | Cayuga Lake, Southern End (0705-0040) Cayuga Lake, Main Lake, Mid-South (0705-0050) | Douglas Barnes 607-274-6600 [email protected] |
Warren | Lake George (1006-0016) | Gina Martin 518-761-6409 [email protected] |
Washington | Cossayuna Lake (1103-0002) Lake George (1006-0016) | Laura Oswald [email protected] |
Wayne | Blind Sodus Bay (0302-0021) Lake Ontario Shoreline, Central (0302-0044) | Lindsey Gerstenslager 315-946-7200 [email protected] |
Westchester | Lake Meahagh (1301-0053) | David Kvinge, AICP, RLA, CFM 914-995-2089 [email protected] |
Wyoming | Java Lake (0104-0004) Silver Lake (0403-0002) Oatka Creek, Middle, and minor tribs (0402-0031) | Stephen Perkins 585-786-8857 ext. 5163 [email protected] |
* Only Eligible for Round 1 Funding
Program Summary & Outline
Updated Oct. 19, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
I would like to apply for the program.
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.
My county is not listed on the eligible county list, am I eligible?
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.
I do not see my waterbody listed as one of the Eligible Waterbodies, can it be added to the program?
The list of eligible waterbodies for Round 2 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, for Round 2 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.
I live in one of the five NYC Boroughs, is my property eligible for the program?
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.
Forms for County Use
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.
Other Funding Sources Available in Select Counties
Some counties have secured additional funds to work in conjunction with the State Septic System Replacement Fund Program. The supplemental funds help to increase the number of repair/replacements and prompting water quality improvements.
Rensselaer County
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.
Suffolk County
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
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 outline 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.
Contact DEC Division of Water
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