Southampton Village Nears Milestone on Clean Water Project

Southampton Village is nearing a key milestone in its Clean Water Project, advancing plans for a new wastewater treatment facility aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution and improving local water quality.

The Village Board held a public hearing on Feb. 12 on the project that calls for construction of a treatment facility on village-owned property on Windmill Lane, behind the municipal ambulance barn.

Most of the system, including leaching fields, would be located underground, with treatment equipment housed in a landscaped, barn-style building designed to blend with the surrounding area and eliminate odors.

Under the plan, the existing dog park would be relocated about a football field south, adjacent to the Rogers Memorial Library.

Village officials said public recreational space would not be reduced. Community Preservation Fund money would be used to acquire and demolish the The Southampton Press building, converting the site to permanent open space.

Officials said the advanced treatment system would replace aging septic systems and significantly reduce nitrogen levels that contribute to harmful algal blooms in local waterways, including Lake Agawam.

The project aligns with recommendations in Suffolk County Subwatersheds Wastewater Plan

has received approvals from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Village leaders say the expanded sewer capacity will also support downtown businesses and allow for potential second-story workforce housing, while protecting groundwater, wetlands and coastal habitats.