Frequently Asked Questions

Visit our Water district page and signup for paperless water billing as well as access your online bill pay portal.

For more information and links to the above-mentioned pages visit our Water District News Article

Visit the Suffolk County Civil Service website for all test and examination announcements. 

Also check our job posting page for Town of Riverhead Specific Jobs

Call our sanitation department at (631)727-3200 x 391

Garage sale and yard sale permits are obtained at the Town Clerks Office. Stop in any day during normal business hours on the 1st floor of Town Hall to get a permit.

Follow the link provided to the Town of Riverheads Agenda and Meeting program: Link to Civic Clerk Town of Riverhead Portal

These stickers are administered by the Town Clerk. For additional information, visit the Town Clerk's site under "Town Hall Departments". You may also call the Town Clerk's Office at 631-727-3200, ext. 263.

You may telephone the Supervisor at 631-727-3200, ext. 654.

The Building Department is one of the busiest departments. If you cannot reach someone after several attempts, you may try this office for assistance.

Both documents are available online. The Recreation Brochure link is on the home page. The Recycling Calendar is under "Town Hall Departments" then "Sanitation".

Yes, you are welcome to address the Town Board at the general meetings. You may speak during a scheduled public hearing, prior to consideration of resolutions, or during a general comment period.

The Town Board usually meets twice a month on Tuesdays. The First Tuesday of the month is at 2 pm while the meeting time for the third Tuesday of the month is at 7 pm for a listing of upcoming meetings, check our website's "Town Hall Meetings".

If your mailbox is damaged by plowed snow, you may call the Highway Department at 631-727-3200, ext. 228 for information about submitting a claim for repair/replacement.

The Supervisor's office is on the 3rd Floor of Town Hall.

For the most accurate information, call the Suffolk County Board of Elections at 631-852-4500. The Board of Elections will also have information on how to register to vote and where to vote. 

County Executive: Edward P. Romaine

District Attorney: Raymond A. Tierney

State Senator: Anthony H. Palumbo (represents Riverhead in the 1st Senate District)

State Assembly Member: Jodi Giglio (represents a portion of the region)

U.S. Representative: Nick LaLota (represents Riverhead in Congress)

Maintenance of the roadways is the responsibility of the Highway Department; George Woodson is the Superintendent of the Highway Department. Every year, the Town Board allocates funds to support the Department's Street Re-Paving, Drainage, and Rehabilitation programs. Review the Highway page for additional information. You may also call the Highway Department at 631-727-3200, ext. 228.

A hate crime must meet two criteria:

• A crime must happen, such as physical assault, intimidation, arson, or vandalism.
• The crime must be motivated, in whole or in part, by bias.

The list of biases included in state or federal hate crime statutes varies. Most include race, ethnicity, and religion. Some also include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or disability.

As you respond to a hate crime, check specific statutes in your area, then consider working to add missing categories, to protect vulnerable community members.

A bias incident is conduct, speech, or expression that is motivated by bias or prejudice but doesn't involve a criminal act.

Hate crimes, if charged and prosecuted, will be dealt with in the court system. They typically carry enhanced penalties, such as longer sentences.

Bias incidents occur with no clear path or procedure for recourse.

Both, however, demand unified and unflinching denouncement from individuals, groups, and entire communities.

Hate crimes and bias incidents don't just victimize individuals; they torment communities.

When someone scrawls threatening graffiti targeting Asian Americans, for example, everyone in the community may feel frightened and unsafe, as may members of other ethnic or racial groups.

Yes, but this request must be made through the FOIL (Freedom Of Information Law) process. FOIL requests must be made to the Town Clerk, who will then route the request to the applicable Departments.

Yes. New York State mandates that all swimming pools / hot tubs require permits, even storable / non-permanent pools. The sole exception being "where such pools are designed for a water depth of less than 24 inches and are installed entirely above ground." Pool permits are usually issued in less than 2 weeks, and are often turned around in a few days. Fences and alarms will be required according to Code to ensure safety for our residents and their guests.

Yes. There is an exception for single-family dwelling properties where one shed under 144 sf is allowed without permit as long as it is located in the rear yard and at least 5' from property lines. There are some caveats to this exception, for instance if your property is located near a tidal or freshwater wetland, a bluff, or within the Pine Barrens Overlay District, a permit and additional approvals may be required. It is always best to contact the Building Department and speak to a member of our staff regarding the proposed shed and your particular property.

Yes. The New York State Department of Education requires that a NYS licensed design professional stamp building plans. There is an exception for alterations to buildings costing twenty thousand dollars or less, which do not involve changes affecting the structural safety or public safety thereof. For example, a plan for finishing a basement without structural changes may not require a design professional's seal. All plans submitted must be accurate and to scale, and are subject to review comments.

Review and processing of complete applications takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks. Many residential applicants can obtain a permit within 2 weeks, barring any missing documentation, approvals or fees. Commercial applications often require approvals from other agencies, such as Site Plan, Fire Marshal, Suffolk County Health Department, etc, so the time frame may be extended, but applicants will typically get review comments within that 2 to 4 week window.

Permit fees are based on the estimated cost of construction. Building Inspectors use an accepted evaluation to estimate the cost of a project based on lineal or square footages, and applicants are required to submit an estimated cost on the application. For large projects, permit fees approach 1.2% of the estimated cost of construction.

On residential properties, fences erected in the front yard or along any side or rear street line must not be more than 4 feet in height. In side and rear yards, the fence may be 6 feet in height as long as this is not a corner or through lot. As long as the fence is on your property and conforms to these height restrictions, no permit is required.

If you have a corner lot, a through lot, or are located near a tidal or freshwater wetland or the bluff, then you should call the Building Department and speak to staff regarding the proposed fence and your particular property.

Building Department clerical staff can give you the zoning district on a property and you may consult with the Town Code to read about permitted uses. A Building Inspector may be able to go more in depth with the types of applications and approvals required, but the more information you have the better we can assist you.

Should your commercial project seem viable, we may be able to direct you to the Planning Department to get on the agenda for a presubmission conference to informally discuss particulars with Town personnel at one of our regularly scheduled Tuesday Meetings.

These types of questions must be directed toward the Assessor's Office, 631-727-3200, ext. -255, as Building Department staff will not and cannot be able to answer any questions about property taxes.

No. Leaves must be in paper lawn or leaf bags or loose in a can.

No. Plastic bags of any kind are not accepted.

Latex or water-based paint is not hazardous. Let any paint in the can dry out and throw it out with regular trash. Oil-based paints or stains are hazardous and may be disposed of at the Town's STOP Programs, which are held every May and October. Dates are listed on the recycling calendar and on the Town's Website.

Due to the NYS Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, small electronics may no longer be disposed of at the curb. Following is a list of items that may be disposed of at the Town's Yard Waste Facility on Young's Avenue, Riverhead, where there is a drop-off container, or at Best Buy on Route 58 in Riverhead:

What Electronic Equipment Can be Recycled?

• Computers (including desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, e-readers, etc.)
• Televisions
• Small-Scale Servers
• Monitors
• Keyboards
• Mice
• Facsimile Machines (only those intended for use with a computer and weighing less than 100 lbs.)
• Document Scanners (only those intended for use with a computer and weighing less than 100 lbs.)
• Printers (only those intended for use with a computer and weighing less than 100 lbs.)
• VCRs
• DVRs
• Portable Digital Music Players
• DVD Players
• Digital Converter Boxes
• Cable or Satellite Receivers
• Electronic or Video Game Consoles
• Any cable, cord, or wiring permanently attached to or incorporated into an above-listed product.

For more detailed information, please visit the NYS DEC website.

Waste Disposal Licenses may be obtained by completing the application, which can be found under Applications and Forms on the Town's home page, located on the Sanitation Department tab. Complete the form and submit it along with the required documentation prior to the year in which you would like to conduct business within the Town.

Fluorescent bulbs may be brought to the Town's S.T.O.P. Program, which is held in May and October. Dates are listed on the recycling calendar and on the Town's Website. 

The carters do not take fresh green grass clippings.  Residents may use a mulching blade on their mower, dispose of them on their own property, or purchase a Yard Waste Facility Permit.

In order to prevent youth substance use and avoid accidental overdose, it is important that residents monitor and safeguard their prescription and over-the-counter medications. To protect our environment, medication should not be thrown in the garbage or flushed. For the convenience of our residents, the Riverhead Town Police Department (210 Howell Avenue, Riverhead, NY) has a permanent Drop Box in which residents can safely dispose of their non-liquid medication. For confidentiality purposes, please remove or blacken identifying information prior to disposal.

There are two types of smoke detectors used in homes: Photoelectric and Ionization. 

Photoelectric detectors do not contain radioactive material and can be disposed of in your regular household trash. 

Ionization Detectors (most detectors in use are this type) do contain a small amount of radioactive material. Even though the amount is so small that it does not pose a risk to human health, it is not recommended that they be disposed of with household waste. Ionized smoke detectors should be returned to the manufacturer for disposal. Please contact the manufacturer to determine what type of detector you have and what their return procedure is. 

For residents who are part of the Town's Residential Garbage District, up to six (6) bulk items (appliances, scrap metal, furniture, mattresses, air conditioners, and rugs) shall be collected on your bulk day. All bulk items must be in safe condition, fluids drained, and placed curbside for pickup. Please take note that putting out more than 6 Bulk items is a violation of the Town Code. 

Needles and lancets should be disposed of in a heavy plastic container such as a laundry detergent or bleach type bottle with a screw on top.  Do not use glass containers or coffee cans, as they can break, and lids can come off easily.  Label the container "Contains Sharps" in a waterproof marker and dispose of it with household trash or take it to your local hospital.

No. This should go in your regular trash.

At this time, numbers 1 & 2 are accepted.

Pickup starts at 6 am.

• Household batteries such as Alkaline and carbon zinc batteries, including AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, can be disposed of safely with your regular household garbage.
• Rechargeable batteries are recyclable through vendors who sell them. 
• Car batteries are recycled through service stations that sell them.

• Open 5 days a week
• Thursday through Monday
• 7 am to 3:30 pm
• Closed for holidays or extreme inclement weather

It is important to note that the District's jurisdiction ends when pipes start to branch off from water mains below the street and into homes. Thus, it is the homeowner's responsibility to address any possible lead piping from the curb into their home and any internal plumbing within their home.

Unfortunately, the District does not have funds available to help offset the costs to homeowners for lead service line replacements; however, we are working with our area's elected officials in the hopes of creating a funding stream.

If you are concerned about the potential presence of lead in the drinking water within your home, the District recommends you reach out to a state-certified laboratory for comprehensive and accurate results.

The EPA has established an action level for lead in drinking water at 15 parts per billion.

There are many great resources available to help residents better understand the impacts of lead in drinking water and how to address it. Here are a few resources that we find to be the most helpful:

• Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water
• Lead in Drinking Water
• American Water Works Association

The Riverhead Water District routinely samples the public drinking water for detections of lead, and we are proud to report that our water surpasses all established water quality standards. Robust water quality sampling and testing have delivered results of non-detect to 2.7 parts per billion, well below the MCL of 15 parts per billion.

Water being delivered to our residents' homes does NOT contain elevated levels of lead. If the drinking water in your home has elevated levels of lead, it is due to the presence of a lead service line or other lead-based pipes, joints or fixtures in your home's plumbing system. Decades ago, lead was a common material used in residential plumbing and fixtures. Older homes have a higher likelihood for the presence of lead-based materials.

Call 631-727-3200, ext. 201 or Ext 296, Please provide hamlet, street name, pole number (which is located eye level on the pole) and the nearest crossroad.

Call 631-727-3200, ext. 276, GIS / Mapping for assistance.

While this Office hopes to provide the utmost assistance to residents and taxpayers of Riverhead, we are unable to represent or provide legal advice to them. By law, the Office of the Town Attorney acts as the legal advisor to the Town. The role and job of this Office is to give legal advice to the Town Board, town officials, town departments, boards, and committees on governmental matters. As such, the Office of the Town Attorney cannot offer residents and/or taxpayers of Riverhead any legal counsel.

One way is referral; in other words, ask a friend, a family member, for the name and telephone number of an attorney who has assisted them on a similar dispute or transaction in the past. Alternatively, the New York State Unified Court System offers a directory of lawyers in your area. Also, you can contact the Suffolk County Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service at 631-234-5577.