A change in eligibility requirements for the Catskill Watershed Corp.'s Septic Rehabilitation and Replacement Program means that nearly 900 additional homeowners may be eligible to participate, officials said.
Letters have been mailed to some 880 people whose properties are within 200 feet of a watercourse in the latest extension of the program eligibility distance. The voluntary program has widened progressively, from 50 to 100 to 150 feet, and now to 200 feet from a watercourse. Properties within 500 feet of a reservoir stem are also targeted.
Homeowners in the New York City Watershed in Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan or Ulster counties whose properties fall within the eligibility distance may sign up to have their system pumped out and inspected. A call to the CWC to arrange an initial visit with technical staffers is the first step.
Participation is voluntary. Those who sign up agree to have their system examined. If the system appears to have failed, or is likely to fail, the CWC will reimburse full-time residents 100 percent of the cost of replacement. Part-time or non-resident property owners will be reimbursed 60 percent of eligible repair or replacement costs.
One- or two-family residences or home-business combination buildings must use less than 1,000 gallons of water per day to be eligible. Systems installed in conjunction with construction of new homes are not eligible for reimbursement.
In addition, homeowners who can prove their septic systems were repaired or replaced between July 2, 1999, and Dec. 31, 2007, regardless of whether those systems are located in the current priority area, may be eligible for reimbursement for those repairs. Call the CWC at (845) 586-1400 or (877) 928-7433 to request a reimbursement form. Homeowners must also provide contractor receipts and proof of construction approval from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
Homeowners who meet income requirements may qualify for hardship assistance from the CWC, whether or not their property lies within an eligible area. The CWC's Septic Maintenance Program also provides assistance to Watershed homeowners who received construction approval from the NYC DEP since Nov. 1, 1995.
If those systems are at least 3 years old, they may arrange for a pump-out and inspection of the system and apply for 50 percent reimbursement from the CWC.
For more information on these and other programs designed to assist homeowners and businesses in the New York City Watershed, call the CWC or go to www.cwconline.org.
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