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No and this is one of the most common misconceptions homeowners in Bohemia run into. Suffolk County banned new cesspool-only installations effective July 1, 2019. That means if your existing cesspool fails or needs replacement, you cannot simply swap it for a new cesspool. Any replacement system must meet modern septic tank standards at minimum, and depending on your property’s specifics lot size, proximity to water, system capacity you may be required to install an I/A OWTS nitrogen-reducing system.
This isn’t a technicality that contractors can work around. It’s codified in Article 6 of the Suffolk County Sanitary Code, and any installer working in Bohemia is bound by it. The good news is that modern systems perform significantly better than the cesspools they replace, and the SIP grant program exists specifically to help offset the cost of making that upgrade. If you’re not sure what your property requires, a site assessment is the right starting point not a guess.
The honest answer is that it depends on what your property needs, and anyone who gives you a firm number over the phone without seeing your lot first is guessing. That said, full septic system replacement in Suffolk County typically falls in the range of $20,000 to $40,000 for most residential properties, depending on the system type, site conditions, and whether excavation presents any complications.
For Bohemia homeowners, the SIP grant program is worth understanding before you fixate on that number. Combined State and County grants of up to $45,000 are currently available for qualifying I/A OWTS installations which means the grant can cover a substantial portion of, or in some cases exceed, the installation cost. The critical detail is that you have to apply and receive a grant certificate before installation begins. The grant funds are paid directly to us as the approved installer, not reimbursed to you after the fact. Getting that sequence right is something we can help you navigate.
There are two timelines to think about separately. The permit process filing with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, waiting for approval, completing any required perc testing typically adds two to four weeks before active work can begin. That timeline is set by the county, not us, and it applies to every installation in Bohemia and throughout Islip Town.
The installation itself, once permits are in hand, is usually completed in a single day for most residential properties. That’s consistent with what our Bohemia customers have reported the crew mobilizes, excavates, installs the new system, properly abandons the old one, and restores the site, typically within one workday. If you’re planning around a real estate transaction or a specific deadline, the permit lead time is the variable to plan for. Starting the process before your system reaches a crisis point gives you the flexibility to control that timeline instead of being controlled by it.
I/A OWTS stands for Innovative/Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment System. It’s the category of nitrogen-reducing septic systems that Suffolk County now requires for new construction and major reconstruction projects. Unlike a conventional septic system, which removes solids but doesn’t significantly treat nitrogen, an I/A OWTS uses additional treatment processes to reduce nitrogen output by up to 70% before effluent reaches the soil.
Whether your specific Bohemia property requires one depends on factors like your lot size, the scope of the replacement, and your proximity to sensitive water resources. Given that Bohemia sits adjacent to the Connetquot River watershed and that the sandy soils here allow groundwater to move quickly the county has strong regulatory and environmental reasons to push I/A OWTS adoption in this area. Even if your replacement doesn’t technically require one, the SIP grant program is designed to make I/A OWTS systems financially accessible, and the long-term performance benefits are real. A site assessment will clarify exactly what your property requires under current Suffolk County rules.
Your existing cesspool doesn’t just get left in the ground and ignored. Suffolk County requires that it be properly abandoned as part of the installation process which means it gets pumped out completely, and then filled or collapsed in a way that prevents it from becoming a void or a hazard underground. The abandonment is documented, and those records are part of what you receive at the end of the job.
This step matters more than most homeowners realize. An improperly abandoned cesspool can collapse over time, creating a sinkhole risk in your yard, or it can continue to leach into the groundwater even after a new system is in place. For older Bohemia homes particularly those built in the 1950s and 1960s where the cesspool may never have been properly mapped our cesspool location services are often the first step, making sure the team knows exactly what’s underground before excavation begins. Proper abandonment is included in the installation scope, not an add-on.
Most Bohemia homeowners with an existing cesspool or conventional septic system are worth checking for eligibility. The Suffolk County Septic Improvement Program (SIP) provides grants for homeowners who replace qualifying systems with I/A OWTS nitrogen-reducing systems. As of July 2025, combined State and County grant funding can reach up to $45,000 for eligible properties. Additional loan options through CDCLI are available at 3% interest over 15 years for costs above the grant amount.
To qualify, your property generally needs to have a valid certificate of occupancy, no outstanding tax liens, and an existing onsite system that isn’t already a modern advanced treatment system. The grant must be applied for and approved before installation begins it’s not a reimbursement program. The funds go directly to us as the SIP-approved installer, not to you as a check afterward. If you’re unsure whether your Bohemia property qualifies, the right move is to start the conversation with us before committing to anything. Getting the eligibility question answered early is what keeps the grant option open.
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When a properly installed septic system replaces a failing cesspool, the most immediate thing you notice is the absence of problems no sewage smell creeping into the yard, no soggy patches near the back fence, no anxiety every time you run the dishwasher and the washing machine at the same time. That’s not a small thing when you’ve been managing around a system that’s pushing 60 years old.
For Bohemia homeowners specifically, there’s more at stake than just household comfort. The sandy, Pine Barrens-adjacent soils that run through this part of Islip Town drain fast faster than most people realize. That means nitrogen from an aging cesspool doesn’t sit and get filtered; it moves straight down toward the aquifer. The same groundwater that feeds the Connetquot River headwaters at Lakeland County Park on Bohemia’s western border. A modern I/A OWTS system reduces that nitrogen output by up to 70%, which matters for the water table your family drinks from and the watershed your neighborhood borders.
There’s also a financial reality worth naming. Suffolk County’s Septic Improvement Program currently offers combined State and County grants of up to $45,000 for qualifying I/A OWTS installations. That’s not a rumor it’s a real program, and Bohemia homeowners are eligible. But the grant has to be secured before installation begins. Waiting until the system fails means losing that window entirely.
Drastic Drainage Long Island is a family-owned company based in West Babylon, about 12 to 15 miles west of Bohemia along Sunrise Highway. We’ve been doing this work across Nassau and Suffolk Counties for over 30 years, which means we’ve navigated the Suffolk County Department of Health Services permit process, filed registrations under Article 6 of the Sanitary Code, and worked through the Islip Town jurisdiction more times than we can count.
Bohemia isn’t a stretch for us it’s a named service area on our website, and that distinction matters. This isn’t a company expanding into unfamiliar territory. We know what the soil conditions look like in this part of Islip Town, we know what the SCDHS process looks like for a residential replacement in this hamlet, and we know what Bohemia homeowners are actually dealing with when a system installed in 1965 finally reaches the end of the line.
The business is run by Michael Chiofalo, and the team that shows up to your property George, Mike, Lucas are the same people praised by name in customer reviews. When you call, a real person answers.
It starts with a site assessment. Before anything is quoted or scheduled, we look at your property the lot size, the location of the existing system, the setbacks, and the soil conditions. In Bohemia, those fast-draining sandy soils affect how the leaching field is designed, so this step isn’t a formality. It determines what system is right for your specific property.
From there, a perc test is conducted if required, and the permit application is filed with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. This is where a lot of homeowners get anxious the permit process adds time before work can begin, typically two to four weeks. We handle the filing, so you’re not navigating the SCDHS submission portal on your own. If you’re pursuing a SIP grant, that application also needs to be in place before installation starts, and we coordinate that timing as part of the service.
Once permits are cleared, most residential installations are completed in a single day. The old system is properly pumped and abandoned documented, per Suffolk County requirements and the new system goes in. After installation, the SCDHS inspection is coordinated, and you receive the installation records. The process is linear and predictable. There are no hand-offs to other contractors, and no gaps between steps.
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We handle septic system installation for both residential and commercial properties throughout Bohemia and the surrounding Islip Town area. That dual capability matters in a hamlet like Bohemia, where residential streets sit within a few blocks of the commercial and industrial corridor along Smithtown Avenue and Veterans Memorial Highway. Whether it’s a family home off the Sunrise Highway service road or a commercial facility near MacArthur Airport, our service scope covers both.
For residential installations, our work includes site evaluation, system design appropriate to your lot and Suffolk County’s current requirements, permit filing with SCDHS, excavation, installation of the new system, proper abandonment of the existing cesspool, and post-installation documentation. If your property qualifies for an I/A OWTS nitrogen-reducing system which is required for most replacements under current Suffolk County rules we install systems designed to meet those standards. Suffolk County banned new cesspool-only installations in 2019, so any replacement in Bohemia today has to meet modern septic requirements at minimum.
We also offer cesspool location services, which is genuinely useful in Bohemia’s older housing stock. Many homes built in the 1950s and 1960s have systems that were never properly mapped, and locating them before excavation begins saves time, cost, and surprises. After installation, advisory guidance on maintaining your new system is included because a system that’s properly maintained lasts significantly longer than one that isn’t.
