Governor Hochul Announces $115 Million to Help Local Governments Fund Critical Water Infrastructure Projects Across New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul announced more than $115 million for critical clean and drinking water infrastructure projects across the state that protect or improve water quality. The grants, interest-free loans and low-interest loans approved by the EFC Board of Directors on December 9, 2021 will help 34 municipalities and public authorities undertake drinking water and wastewater projects. Of the funding announced, more than $33 million is allocated to 13 drinking water projects in Nassau and Suffolk counties to address emerging contaminants.

"Every New Yorker deserves access to clean water," Governor Hochul said. "This funding will upgrade clean and drinking water infrastructure across the state, address emerging contaminants, and reduce pollution. We will continue to work with local governments and partners to protect New Yorkers' water quality for years to come."

The Board's approvals include IMG and WIIA grants and financings through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The projects approved for funding include:

Drinking Water Projects:

• Village of Alden in Erie County - $108,000 WIIA grant to construct two interconnections between the village and the Erie County Water Authority to provide backup water source capacity.
• Town of Black Brook in Clinton County - $1,079,280 WIIA grant for the construction of a new water storage tank and two new production wells for Water District No. 1.
• Chautauqua County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $1,993,061 in short-term, market-rate financing to construct a new pump station and approximately 500,000-gallon water storage tank; to install approximately 18,000 linear feet of watermain and associated fixtures; and interconnect to the Village of Fredonia's water system.
• Dix Hills Water District in Suffolk County - $3,042,000 WIIA grant to design and construct a new treatment process at the existing water treatment facility to remove 1,4-dioxane from Well No. 5-1.
• Erie County Water Authority - $2,519,272 WIIA grant to install approximately 5,000 linear feet of water transmission main from the raw water pumping station to the Van De Water Treatment Plant.
• Town of Evans in Erie County - $2,898,000 WIIA grant to construct a new water storage tank, booster pump station, backup generator, and associated fixtures.
• Village of Fishkill in Dutchess County - $1,320,000 WIIA grant and $880,000 short-term, market-rate financing for well upgrades and replacements, chemical feed system improvements, and rehabilitation of a 1-million-gallon water storage tank.
• Village of Gilbertsville in Otsego County - $2,437,055 long-term, interest-free financing to replace approximately 25,000 linear feet of antiquated water distribution main, install new service meters, replace an existing water storage tank with a new 200,000-gallon tank, develop two new well sources, and construct a new treatment building featuring iron and manganese removal.
• Town of Hempstead in Nassau County - $3,413,400 WIIA grant to design and construct a new Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) at the existing Prospect Avenue Station water treatment facility to remove 1,4-dioxane from two wells.
• Village of Horseheads in Chemung County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $2,000,000 short-term, market-rate financing to replace approximately 12,000 linear feet of aged and undersized water main.
• Town of Monroe in Orange County - $897,750 WIIA grant for improvements to the Monroe Hills Estates Water District No. 12.
• City of North Tonawanda in Niagara County - $1,163,093 WIIA grant and $7,276,907 short-term, market-rate financing to upgrade and repair the existing water treatment plant including the raw water intake, low service suction well, sedimentation basin, and the filter building.
• Village of Ossining in Westchester County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant to design and construct a new water treatment plant to replace the existing Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant.
• Oyster Bay Water District in Nassau County - $3,257,400 WIIA grant to design and construct a new treatment process at the existing water treatment facility to remove 1,4-dioxane from two wells at Plant No. 2.
• Port Washington Water District in Nassau County - $11,362,800 WIIA grant to design and construct a new treatment process at the existing water treatment facility to remove 1,4-dioxane and perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) from the Morley Park Station in three wells.
• City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County - $8,518,600 long-term, interest-free financing and $1,500,000 in remaining WIIA funds to construct two 2.5 million gallon water storage tanks to replace a 5 million gallon reservoir and replace aged water mains at various locations throughout the water distribution system.
• City of Rochester in Monroe County - $780,000 WIIA grant to replace approximately 3,500 feet of existing water main and associated fixtures in selected priority areas of the water system.
• Village of Sackets Harbor in Jefferson County - $1,639,800 WIIA grant and $1,769,200 short-term, market-rate financing for system improvements including replacement of the existing raw water intake, wet well, and pumps that supply the village's filtration plant.
• Town of Sennett in Cayuga County - $1,781,400 WIIA grant to replace the existing water storage tank with a new 300,000 gallon tank, to install approximately 21,000 linear feet of water main that will replace existing aged/undersized main, and to extend public water to serve additional residences.
• Suffolk County Water Authority - WIIA grant awards as outlined below for nine projects that will design and construct a new treatment process to remove 1,4-dioxane from various existing well fields:

• • $1,800,000 WIIA grant: Well Nos. 1 and 2 at the Middleville Road well field
  • $1,800,000 WIIA grant: Well Nos. 1 and 2A/2B at the Falcon Drive well field
  • $900,000 WIIA grant: Well No. 1 at the Old Dock Road well field
  • $900,000 WIIA grant: Well No. 2 at the Waterside Road well field
  • $1,800,000 WIIA grant: Well Nos. 1A and 2 at the Broadway well field
  • $900,000 WIIA grant: Well No. 1 at the Douglas Avenue well field
  • $2,700,000 WIIA grant: Well Nos. 1, 2 and 3 at the Flower Hill Road well field
  • $900,000 WIIA grant: Well No. 1 at the Hollywood Place well field
  • $900,000 WIIA grant: Well No. 1 at the McKay Road well field

• Town of Sullivan in Madison County - $480,000 WIIA grant to create the Hamilton Brown/Bushnell Shore Water District, including the installation of approximately 8,100 linear feet of new water mains, hydrants and fixtures, and connection of the Onondaga County Water Authority.

Clean Water Projects:

• Village of Bronxville in Westchester County - WIIA grants of $283,625 and $223,500 for the planning, design and construction of sanitary sewer system upgrades.
• Town of Carrollton in Cattaraugus County - $1,256,635 long-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant and collection system pump station improvements.
• Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County - $733,974 WIIA grant for pump station upgrades.
• Village of Geneseo in Livingston County - $345,085 long-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
• Town of Greenville in Greene County - $520,000 short-term, interest-free financing and $610,821 in WIIA funds for sewer district extension and plant improvements.
• Village of Moravia in Cayuga County - $7,000,000 short-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant improvements.
• Onondaga County - $2,250,000 WIIA grant, $1,875,000 short-term, interest-free financing and $1,875,000 short-term, market-rate financing for sewer rehabilitation to reduce inflow and infiltration in the collection system.
• Town of Orangetown in Rockland County - $96,000 WIIA grant for system upgrades at the town's wastewater treatment plant and associated pump stations.
• City of Oswego in Oswego County - $1,761,994 long-term, interest-free financing for improvements to the West Side (Area 2) sanitary sewer system, and $2,880,437 long-term, interest-free financing for the West Side Sewer Separation project.
• Town of Thompson in Sullivan County - $4,000,000 short-term, interest-free financing for pump station improvements within the town's sewer district.
• City of Utica in Oneida County - $3,254,374 long-term, interest-free financing and $476,533 in remaining Integrated Solutions Construction Grant funds for the design and construction of green infrastructure practices and separation of combined sewers into individual storm and sanitary sewers.
• Town of Wappinger in Duchess County - $2,484,620 IMG to construct the Wildwood Sewer Connection to the Tri-Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility.

EFC President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, "This announcement marks another substantial investment in water quality infrastructure across New York State. It sets the tone for the work EFC will do to maximize the state water grants to be awarded in the coming months, thanks to the availability of $600 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement, Intermunicipal, and Water Quality Infrastructure Improvement grants announced by Governor Hochul during Climate Week. In addition to addressing an historic amount of state water grant funding applications that EFC received before the November 22 deadline, EFC is actively preparing for the major infusion of federal funds from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. EFC looks forward to partnering with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of Health, and local governments to get shovels in the ground for projects that make our infrastructure more resilient to climate change and improve water quality for all New Yorkers."

DEC Commissioner and EFC Chairman Basil Seggos said, "Governor Hochul understands the fiscal challenges New York's cities, towns and villages face when advancing efforts to strengthen and modernize clean water infrastructure. With challenges that include an uptick in severe storms and extreme weather events, harmful algal blooms, and emerging contaminants, New York is prioritizing generational investments in drinking and wastewater projects, along with the good jobs these projects create. The funding, combined with an infusion of federal funding from the recently passed federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and low- or no-interest loans to ensure localities have the resources they need to complete critical projects that protect public health and the environment."

Acting New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, "New York is committed to funding drinking water upgrades and other clean water initiatives that make a lasting impact on the health of our communities. As the regulator for New York's vast network of public drinking water supplies - many of which are aging - the Department of Health looks forward to working with Governor Hochul to continue to prioritize funding for these vital infrastructure projects statewide."

State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "I applaud the efforts of the Hochul administration in allocating critical funding into projects that will improve the quality of the water New Yorkers consume. This important step will help protect our drinking water supply and safeguard the health of New Yorkers across the state from dangerous exposure to harmful contaminants."

The CWSRF and the DWSRF are EFC's core funding programs. With its partner DEC, EFC is responsible for the operation and administration of the CWSRF. The CWSRF allows EFC to provide interest-free or low-interest rate financing and grants to support a variety of eligible wastewater projects. EFC similarly operates and administers the DWSRF, with its partner DOH, to provide interest-free or low-interest rate financing and grants for drinking water infrastructure projects.