Oyster Bay Town Councilwoman Michele M. Johnson encourages homeowners to check out a multimedia outreach campaign that teaches homeowners how to properly maintain their cesspool or septic home wastewater system. The campaign, GET PUMPED! Long Island, is the culmination of a five year effort supported by the C.E.S.S.P.O.O.L.   (Coordinated Environmental Solutions for Septic Problems Occurring On Long Island) Project and funded by a grant from the New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. The C.E.S.S.P.O.O.L. Project is an unprecedented partnership among the Manhasset Bay, Hempstead Harbor, and Oyster Bay/Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee, which encompasses 33 municipalities and Friends of The Bay, an award winning citizens group.

“The Town Board is proud to work with our partners at the C.E.S.S.P.O.O.L. Project on educating the public about their home wastewater system,” Councilwoman Johnson said. “The Town’s involvement in the launch of GET PUMPED! Long Island not only helps homeowners to better protect their investment, but to also better protect our waterways and human health.”

In March and April of 2014, the Stony Brook University Center for Survey Research surveyed a total of 350 homeowners to better understand homeowner’s current knowledge of home wastewater systems and to determine how best to motivate them to properly care for their systems. The survey revealed that very few knew that systems require regular maintenance with a majority of home-owners (55%) having disclosed a problem with their septic or cesspool system that required action and 36% of home owners reported having a problem with sewage backing up into their homes.

“After Town staff and project partners developed maps for the unsewered areas on the north shore of Nassau and western Suffolk counties, information collected from homeowner surveys was used to develop a focused  GET PUMPED! Long Island public outreach campaign,” Councilwoman Johnson said. “The soon to be released effort aims to educate homeowners about their home wastewater systems and to take action to maintain their systems.”

The Councilwoman added that campaign materials include an introductory brochure, fact sheets, a homeowner recordkeeping file, a dedicated website and even a money saving coupon.  All of these materials encourage homeowners to “GET PUMPED!” for regular maintenance which can save them money, protect their home, ensure the safety of their family, and improve their quality of life by enhancing local water quality.

“GET PUMPED! Long Island’s multimedia public outreach campaign is anticipated to be a great success as we all work together to safeguard our health and investment in our home wastewater systems while also protecting our drinking water and beaches,” Councilwoman Johnson said. “For more information regarding the GET PUMPED! Long Island campaign visit: <www.GetPumpedLI.org >,the Town’s website at www.oysterbaytown.com, or call the Town’s Department of Environmental Resources at 516-677-5943.”