Mangano announces study for Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano announced on Monday that a major study is underway to explore new methods of discharging treated wastewater from the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant. The study seeks to identify recommendations for onsite upgrades and improvements and determine the feasibility of constructing an outfall pipe that would extend into the Atlantic Ocean. Treated discharge, or effluent, is currently released into Reynolds Channel located on the north shore of Long Beach and south of the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant.

“For decades the community has sought alternatives for discharging treated sewage from the Bay Park Plant,” Mangano said in a release. “Today, those hopes come alive thanks to environmental cleanup commitments made by Congressman Peter King, U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kristin Gillibrand and my administration. Together, we will work to improve our environment and repair the County’s aging sewage treatment plants.”

The study, funded by Nassau County Capital Improvement Funds and a reimbursement grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will be conducted by CH2M Hill. The EPA grant will provide 55 percent of the project costs, up to a maximum of $275,500. The county’s funds for the study are in lieu of a compliance order set forth by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) connected to violations that resulted from a spill of treated solids into Reynolds Channel in October 2010. Under County Executive Mangano’s watch, the health of the Bay Park Wastewater Treatment Plant has dramatically improved and has not incurred any environmental violations in nearly 18 months.

The study began this summer and is expected to last approximately one year.

“I look forward to hearing the results of this study,” added Legislator Denise Ford, who represents Long Beach, Island Park and parts of Oceanside. “The potential of having a viable solution to treat and minimize effluent in Reynolds Channel would be a major environmental victory for the residents of Long Beach and Nassau County.”