As water quality and aquifer preservation make for important conversations for any elected official on Long Island, another side of the coin raises an equally important topic: stormwater.
While wastewater solutions, namely in the form of sewers and Innovative Alternative Wastewater (I/A) Systems are the alternatives of choice in moving away from septic and cesspool systems, the effects of stormwater, namely contamination of the watershed and other risks of flooding, such as brown tides and algae blooms, are other inevitable aspects of life on a sandbar.
In Smithtown, a main objective of the Town Board under the leadership of Supervisor Ed Wehrheim (R-Kings Park) has been obtaining grant money to include comprehensive sewer hookups to complete downtown revitalizations for St. James, Kings Park, and Smithtown hamlet, all while working with the Board and the community to update the seventy-year-old Smithtown Master Plan.
The County and State have been instrumental in helping improve Smithtown’s economy and environmental impact. In November, the County awarded Smithtown $2.5 million in grant money for traffic and street improvements in Kings Park, on top of $1.45 million for cultural and historical preservations. In January, Governor Kathy Hochul (D) visited Kings Park to award the Town $10 million in the form of a Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant for Kings Park.
Now, Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY-01) has tacked on some federal dollars to further improve the Town’s environmental impact in the form of over $1.38 million for stormwater flood mitigation infrastructure for Smithtown and Kings Park.
“I’m proud to deliver on my promise to always put Suffolk County First by securing critical federal funding for Smithtown and Kings Park. This funding will ensure safer living conditions for residents by bolstering resilience against future environmental challenges like flooding and improving water quality,” said LaLota. “I appreciate Supervisor Wehrheim’s collaboration to help our shared constituents. I remain committed to advocating for resources that enhance families’ overall quality of life across Suffolk County.”
$1 million of the funding will go to improve Main Street Smithtown Stormwater Infrastructure and $384,000 will go to the Kings Park Long Island Rail Road Business District Stormwater Infrastructure Project.
Stormwater runoff can impact the environment just as negatively as wastewater can, as stormwater can often carry oxygen-demanding materials and organic materials like pet waste, leaves, grass clippings, and litter, as well as fertilizer, oil, pesticides, dirt, and bacteria, and even disease-causing bacteria and viruses.
Stormwater will pick up these pollutants and send them into the storm drains, which allow them to end up in rivers, the Long Island Sound, the Great South Bay, or the Atlantic Ocean.
Stormwater runoff can also cause erosion, sediment deposition, algae blooms, closed beaches, and loss of aquatic habitats.
Flood mitigation can include channel improvements, pumping stations, floodwalls, levees, drainage structures, and ponding areas, giving excess water a place to flow where it can be treated or not deposited into the water table. In addition to ecological benefits, flood mitigation can reduce damage to property and roadways, lessening repair expenses on the Town and taxpayers and lowering flood insurance premiums.
“I am truly grateful to Congressman LaLota for this exceptional win for the people of Smithtown and our precious waterways. Congressman LaLota has brought our tax dollars back to the people of Smithtown, as a freshman representative. This is no small task and reflective of his commitment to deliver for his constituents,” said Supervisor Wehrheim. “Updated Stormwater Infrastructure is essential to protect aquatic life and water quality from hazardous materials and chemicals like insecticides, litter, motor oils, and road salts. It is also vital to prevent flooding and dangerous road conditions which can wreak havoc on the cost of living for residents and be dangerous for motorists. This funding will aid the Town in completing two major infrastructure projects in Smithtown and Kings Park and we could not be happier to roll our sleeves up and get to work.”
The flood mitigation funds for Kings Park will be used specifically for the Kings Park LIRR Business District municipal lot, which is expected to reduce stormwater contamination in the Long Island Watershed.
The funds for the Town of Smithtown will allow for the installation of sixteen drainage pools and five catch basins for flood mitigation in the State Route 25 (Main Street, Smithtown) municipal lot. The pools are expected to reduce runoff into the Nissequogue River tributary and the Long Island Sound. The project will also help curb recurring flood damage for Main Street businesses after heavy rainfall.
The federal funds are procured from the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill that was enacted in March.
