ALBANY — The state Assembly on Friday approved a bill that would more than double the amount Long Island homeowners can get reimbursed for upgrading old septic systems — a change lawmakers and activists say will provide long-term benefits to the Island’s water quality.

The bill would hike the reimbursement rate for out-of-pocket costs up to 75% of a homeowner’s project cost with a maximum of $25,000. The current rate, which applies statewide, is 50% and $10,000 — which environmentalists have said has proved "inadequate" for homeowners in high-cost areas such as the Island and New York City suburbs.

The Assembly passed the measure on Friday, 135-0. The Senate approved the bill a day earlier, 59-0.

Assemb. Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson), who drove the bill through the Assembly, said some 70% of Suffolk County homeowners who have septic systems or cesspools are using out-of-date systems that can’t filter harmful pollutants such as nitrogen. She said homeowners have expressed "great interest" in the septic reimbursement program — but the current incentive isn’t enough for some.

"This will be a great step toward helping folks who are never going to be put on full sewer because they are in the far reaches," Kassay told Newsday after the vote. "Every dollar counts, but every $10,000 seems to really count."

Assemb. Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow) said upgrades to modern septic filtration systems can run $35,000 or more.

"So any help a homeowner can get to improve the environment to change out these systems is a benefit," Giglio said.

While downstate costs generally are higher, the bill would apply statewide and could assist homeowners in similar situations in the Finger Lakes, Great Lakes and Adirondack Park region, Kassay said.

If signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, it would be the latest in a series of financial incentives and government investments to upgrade the Island’s sewer and septic systems to reduce pollution flow to Long Island Sound and elsewhere.

 In 2022, Hochul and lawmakers approved a "Reclaim Our Water" plan earmarking $20 million for sewer and cesspool upgrades, including launching the grant program. 

In Suffolk County, voters recently approved a tiny increase in the sales tax rate with the money targeted for upgrades. As of May, the tax hike generated $3.8 million for clean water projects. 

 Before the upgrade effort began, state and local officials estimated some 252,000 cesspools were are in place in Suffolk. An additional 108,000 properties were served by traditional septic systems, which are better than cesspools but do little to reduce nitrogen.

 While Suffolk has been a focus, many homes in Nassau County also can't connect to sewers, Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove) said. 

 "This is a good thing," Lavine said about the grant expansion.

 Assemb. Tommy John Schiavoni (D-Sag Harbor) said sewer and septic improvements were necessary not only for protecting the Sound but the Island's underground aquifer.

 Said the Democrat: "Increasing monies to mitigate nitrogen and phosphorous is absolutely essential on Long Island where we have no viable alternative for drinking water than the aquifer beneath us."