Long Island's Water Reuse Initiatives Gain Momentum
Long Island's Riverhead sewage treatment plant utilizes wastewater for irrigation, preventing 1.2 tons of nitrogen pollution annually. A recent roadmap outlines potential for significant water retention and nitrogen reduction through expanded water reuse projects.

The Riverhead sewage treatment plant on Long Island reuses wastewater to irrigate the adjacent Indian Island County Golf Course, preventing approximately 1.2 tons of nitrogen from entering the Peconic Estuary each year. This water recycling initiative retains about 63 million gallons annually, contributing to water quality and quantity improvements essential for safeguarding local drinking water supplies.
The Seatuck Environmental Association's 2023 Water Reuse Roadmap indicates that implementing all proposed projects could eliminate 15 tons of nitrogen discharge and retain nearly 600 million gallons of water annually. Suffolk County's revised Drinking Water Protection Program now includes funding eligibility for reuse projects, expected to generate about $6.1 billion by 2060. Additional feasibility studies for water reuse at the Bergen Point STP are underway, potentially expanding the initiative across the region.




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