Cesspool & septic installation on Long Island

Many people still search for cesspool installation, and that is exactly what they need to talk to us about. The difference is what goes in the ground. Since July 1, 2019, Suffolk County no longer allows a failed cesspool to be replaced with another cesspool. The minimum replacement is a septic tank ahead of a leaching structure.

The septic tank holds the solids and grease so that mostly liquid reaches the leaching pools, which helps them drain longer. Read are cesspools legal? for more background on the change.

• Septic tank with leaching pools: the standard replacement for an old cesspool. Wastewater settles in the tank, and the clarified liquid flows to one or more leaching pools that release it into the soil.
• I/A (innovative/alternative) systems: systems that treat wastewater to reduce nitrogen before it reaches the ground. Since July 1, 2021, Suffolk County has required them for new single-family homes and for expansions of existing ones.
• Commercial and multi-family systems: larger systems sized to the building’s design flow. See commercial cesspool services.

The right choice depends on the property and the project, not on a one-size-fits-all package. Our guide to septic tank size explains how household size and use come into it.

JET is registered with Suffolk County to install I/A systems. We can walk you through the approved options and handle the installation from permit to startup.

A backup does not automatically mean a system has failed. Before anyone talks about replacement, we look at what is actually happening: how full the system is, whether the problem is in the line from the house, and whether the structure itself is damaged.

Sometimes pumping, cleaning or a repair solves the problem. When it doesn’t, we explain why and what a replacement would involve, so the decision is yours to make with the facts in hand.

No two properties are the same. These are the things that decide what can be installed and where:

• Lot size and where the system can sit in relation to the house, wells and property lines
• Soil conditions and the depth to groundwater
• Access for excavation equipment
• The size of the home or building and how much water it uses
• Whether the project is a replacement, a new build or an expansion
• Applicable county, town or village requirements

In Suffolk County, replacing a system requires approval from the Department of Health Services, and I/A systems are registered and overseen by the county under Article 19. Nassau County and some villages have their own requirements, so the rules for your address are part of the planning.

Homeowners replacing a cesspool or septic system with an approved I/A system may qualify for grant money through Suffolk County’s Septic Improvement Program, which offers up to $20,000, and New York State’s program, which adds up to $25,000. Eligibility is set by the county, so check before counting on it. Our article on the average cost of septic installation covers what drives the overall budget.

Installation is excavation work. Expect equipment in the yard, an open hole for the tank and leaching pools, and a period when the household should limit water use while the old system is taken out of service and the new one is connected.

We walk you through the plan before work starts: where the new components will go, how the old cesspool will be handled, and what the yard will look like when the job is done. After installation, regular pumping keeps the new septic tank doing its job.