BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- The Department oF Environmental Conservation and St. Lawrence County Planning Office are encouraging residents along waterways with failed or failing septic systems to apply for grants to help cover the cost of repairs. 

Residents are eligible to apply for up to $10,000 to cover the cost of repairs. Though that may not cover the entire expense, Grants Manager Heidi Ames said it will go a long way to helping homeowners get their septic systems up to par. 

Ames recently visited the Massena Town Board to present the program and encourage eligible homeowners to apply for funding. 

“These are grant funds that are available to offset the costs of repairing or replacing septic systems that have failed or are at risk of failure, that are near certain water bodies. Here in Massena, there are quite a number of eligible waterways. So, I wanted to make sure that everyone here is aware of the program,” Ames said.

Among those bodies of water are the St. Lawrence River, lower Raquette River, along with minor tributaries of the Raquette as well, she said. 

She told board members the funds are being provided by the DEC through the Environmental Facilities Corp. 

Ames said her office and the DEC are working very closely together to administer the funds, with around $900,000 on hand currently to reimburse through the program. 

“It’s a water quality protection program. DEC and Department of State are the ones who determine the eligible water bodies based on the water body meeting certain standards that makes it potentially able to serve as a public water supply," she said. 

As far as who is eligible, Ames said the list is more expensive than most assume. 

Year-round homes are the primary focus, however camps and seasonal residences also qualify, along with businesses that have less than 1,000 gallons flowing per day. 

"About the only thing that isn’t is brand new construction. If it’s a brand new septic system on a site that has not had a system or a septic tank or a cesspool, some type of means of handling effluent, then it’s not eligible,” she said.

Ames said the septic system has to be within 250 feet of a body of water to be eligible for the program, allowing the property owner to be eligible for a maximum of $10,000 back. 

She noted that most projects like this cost anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000, saying they're far from "inexpensive" and that the homeowner would have to front the funding. 

"However, if you need to do a septic system, it’s a better deal than having to foot the entire bill yourself to get $10k back if you can,” Ames said.

Engineered drawings would also be required to ensure the system is built properly and eligible for reimbursement. 

For those hoping to apply, Ames said submissions can be sent online and a response will be sent within a few days. In some instances a closer look may be required of the site if an individual is unsure of the septic location. 

For more information, visit www.stlawco.gov/Departments/Planning

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