Divsion of Special Districts

Beach Erosion Control Districts
Several beachfront communities have established special taxing districts to fund shoreline protection projects. This funding mechanism allows these homeowners to undertake measures ranging from snow fencing and planting beach grass to constructing new dunes without taxing Brookhaven property owners on the mainland.These districts can also take advantage of the Town’s bulk purchasing of items such as snow fence and the ability to bond large capital projects at favorable interest rates.

Brookhaven Sewer District
Brookhaven’s only Town-sponsored sewer district was established in the early 1990s as a funding mechanism for the construction, operation and maintenance of the sewer system crucial to the development of a research park in South Setauket.

The creation of this special taxing district allowed for the financing of infrastructure improvements through a combination of ad valorem taxes and flow-based sewer bills. This formula allowed for the equitable billing of developed properties based on sewage flow, while not unduly burdening vacant parcels. The special district status also enabled the Town of Brookhaven to qualify for low-interest, long-term financing through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation revolving fund. This loan is now being repaid by the properties benefiting from these improvements.

All sewer system operation and maintenance functions are now handled by the Suffolk County Department of Public Works.

For operations and maintenance questions, please contact The Suffolk County Department of Public Works at (631) 852-4109.

For billing questions, please contact: (631) 852-4060.

Stony Brook Water District
Created in the 1930s, this special taxing district delivers water to approximately 1,550 customers in the older portions of Stony Brook. Unlike customers of the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), who pay for water through their quarterly water bills, the residents of the Stony Brook Water District pay for their water through a combination of property taxes and water rates. In general, the property taxes are used to fund capital projects, such as water main extensions and upgrades. Water rate revenues are used for system operation and maintenance, as well as the bulk purchase of water from the SCWA. (NOTE: The Stony Brook Water District does not have its own wells. All water is obtained through metered interconnections with the SCWA system).

Over the past several years, most of the District’s operations have been transferred by contract to the SCWA. The Suffolk County Water Authority now takes care of all customer billing, system operations and maintenance, water main construction and emergency repairs.

The efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of the SCWA have enabled the Town of Brookhaven to reduce the property taxes on Stony Brook Water District residents by 36% over the last three years. The water rates (reflected in quarterly bills) have remained unchanged since they were established in the 1930s.

For all other questions, please contact:

The Suffolk County Water Authority
(631) 698-9500Cherry

Grove Dock District
The property owners of Cherry Grove have established a special taxing district to fund the operation and maintenance of this dock.

In addition to property taxes, the district collects revenues from dock users (ferries and water taxis, freight companies and boaters, etc.) to fund items such as Dock Masters, utilities and dock repairs.