§ 840-9. Legislative intent.

A. 

This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County's sole source of drinking water comes from its underground aquifer. This Legislature also finds and determines that the County is committed to protecting and preserving its groundwater and surface waters to ensure that residents have safe, clean water. This Legislature further finds and determines that surface waters and groundwaters are vulnerable to contamination from the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage and wastewater. This Legislature finds that exposure to sewage contaminated water can cause bacteria-borne illnesses, such as pink eye, gastroenteritis, skin rashes, respiratory infections and infection of exposed cuts or wounds. Children, the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems are at increased risk of developing such illnesses from exposure to contaminated water.

B. 

This Legislature determines that there are 23 municipal sewage treatment plants and over 180 privately owned sewage treatment plants in Suffolk County. All sewage treatment plants in Suffolk County are subject to inspection by the County Department of Health Services. This Legislature further finds that there is no law requiring operators of private sewage treatment plants to notify the public when they discharge untreated or partially treated sewage occurrences at their plants. This Legislature also determines that, to ensure public awareness of sewage contamination, the Department of Health Services should be notified by sewage treatment plant operators when untreated or partially treated sewage is discharged from the plant, and the Department should post notifications of such incidents on its website.

C. 

Therefore, the purpose of this article is to require private sewage treatment plants to report to the Department of Health Services the discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage and to require the Department of Health Services to notify appropriate elected officials of such incidents and post reports of same online.