Before the treatment plant was in operation on campus, the sewage was sent straight to Port Jefferson Harbor with minimal treatment. Currently, the water is sent to the harbor following primary, secondary and tertiary treatment . The campus is approximately 100 feet above the groundwater table. Therefore, groundwater pollution in the area is not a large threat. The facility is capable of treating more than 2.5 million gallons per day.
Preliminary treatment occurs at the effluent pump station.
Two bar rods filter out tissues, cloths, rags, etc. As the drums turn, the liquid passes freely and the solid material accumulates on the blades and is then deposited into the dumpster below them. Within the oxidation tank, we have an aerator type system. The water in the tank moves in a clockwise rotational flow. The average temperature at the SUNY plant is about 22 degrees Celsius.