Septic Improvement Program Team, Suffolk County Department of Health Services
Left to Right:
James Tomarken, MD, MPH, MBA, MSW, Commissioner, Department of Health Services, Craig Knepper, P.E. – Principal Public Health Engineer, Christina Capobianco, CPA– Deputy Commissioner, Matthew Gravina – Public Health Sanitarian, Julia Priola – Environmental Analyst, Ken Zegel, P.E. – Associate Public Health Engineer, Justin Jobin – Environmental Project Coordinator, Jennifer Freese (formerly Jennifer Perillo) – Public Health Sanitarian, John Sohngen, P.E. – Principal Public Health Engineer, Annamarie Roppelt – Account Clerk Typist, Susan Braun – Administrator I, Jenna Hallock – Community Relations Assistant, John DiGiuseppe – Associate Public Health Sanitarian, Walter Dawydiak, P.E. – Director, Division of Environmental Quality
Not pictured:
Christopher Lubicich, P.E. – Principal Public Health Engineer,Edward Lyons – Principal Public Health Sanitarian, Peter Scully, Deputy County Executive, Sarah Lansdale – Director of Planning, Dorian Dale – Director of Sustainability
Protection of Suffolk County's water resources is recognized by County staff as a vital issue. Groundwater from our sole source aquifer supplies the drinking water needs of its residents and surface waters provide residents a recreational outlet, tourist industry, and fishing and shell fishing industries. Our three major estuary systems are impaired and harmful algal blooms are increasing. Approximately 360,000 homes in Suffolk County rely on outdated sanitary systems to treat their wastewater, which lack sufficient nitrogen removal capabilities. To address nitrogen pollution, county staff has spent countless hours researching up-to-date technologies and visiting jurisdictions with model programs to create a Septic Improvement Program (SIP). Staff developed policies and procedures as well as consumer-friendly financial incentives to homeowners wishing to install such nitrogen reducing septic systems. Since July 2017, staff has issued over 100 grant certificates, providing up to $11,000 per household to defray the cost of installing improved systems.
Learn more about Public Health Sanitarians, Environmental Health Careers, and Public Health Support Staff.
