On October 2, 2018, a resolution was passed unanimously by the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC) to fund a Suffolk County Water Quality Improvement District (WQID) feasibility study; identified as an early action item in the LINAP scope. With the funding approved, Suffolk County, in partnership with the LIRPC and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the evaluation of the technical and financial aspects of a Countywide WQID. Multiple proposals were received, and the contract was awarded to Raftelis, a utility and public sector consulting firm.
The overall goal of the study is the development of an Implementation Guide for a WQID including the various prerequisite actions required to establish the WQID and the management structures and financing required for its operation. In short, the study will:
- Identify and evaluate the infrastructure that would be incorporated into the WQID
- Conduct a financial analysis of potential costs and revenue sources
- Propose the programmatic functions of the WQID
- Propose the management structure of the WQID including all involved entities and stakeholders
- Establish a timeline/critical path for all actions at all levels (State, County, Town, etc.)
Work on the study will begin in the summer of 2019.
