Governor Hochul Announces $83 Million for Critical Water Infrastructure Projects Statewide

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors has approved more than $83 million for drinking water and wastewater projects across New York State. The funding includes grants, interest-free financings, and low-cost financings that provide cost-effective solutions for critical infrastructure projects across the state that protect or improve water quality, including four drinking water projects in Nassau County that aim to address emerging contaminants at multiple facilities.

"Ensuring that the water New Yorkers drink is held to the highest standard of cleanliness and subjected to rigorous testing is a responsibility my administration takes incredibly seriously," Governor Hochul said. "This funding is part of an ongoing commitment from the state to ensure those standards are upheld and that our water infrastructure stays ahead of the curve on emerging contaminants."

New York's drinking water standards for public water systems set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 10 parts per trillion (pbt) each for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and 1 part per billion (1 ppb) for 1,4-dioxane. The state's levels for PFOA and PFOS are significantly lower than the federal current guidance levels of 70 pbt. Establishing such highly protective MCLs and requiring every public water system to be regularly tested and monitored, regardless of their size, will ensure that contaminant levels never rise to the point of causing a public health risk.

Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, "EFC is pleased to provide this critical funding to our partners in local government to support their vital water infrastructure projects. We look forward to helping many more communities with $400 million in water infrastructure improvement and Intermunicipal water infrastructure grants as part of the larger $600 million made available for water quality projects as announced by Governor Hochul during Climate Week. EFC remains committed to finding new ways to help our partners undertake these vital drinking water and wastewater projects that are essential to protecting the health and quality of life of New Yorkers for years to come."

The Board's approvals include WIIA grants and financings through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner and EFC Chairman Basil Seggos said, "This announcement underscores New York State's sustained commitment to helping communities access clean drinking water, provide safeguards to prevent exposure to emerging contaminants, and better prepare for severe storms and flooding fueled by our changing climate. Governor Hochul understands the importance of these projects to protect public health, as well as the need to help municipalities find the resources to make necessary investments to upgrade water infrastructure. This $83 million will help communities across the state improve water quality for millions of New Yorkers in communities across the state."

Department of Health (DOH) Acting Executive Deputy Commissioner Kristin Proud said, "These substantial fiscal commitments are helping communities statewide to install treatment technology that safeguards drinking water quality and to install upgraded septic systems to modernize and improve wastewater removal. These projects are vital to keeping New Yorkers and the environment healthy."

The projects approved for funding include:

• Town of Ellicott in Chautauqua County - $403,800 WIIA grant for the rehabilitation of a 150,000-gallon water storage tank and associated upgrades.
• Jericho Water District in Nassau County - $5,896,770 and $5,560,800 WIIA grants for two projects involving the installation of advanced treatment systems to address 1,4-dioxane and new equipment at these facilities.
• City of Olean in Cattaraugus County - $911,454 WIIA grant for the replacement of approximately 4,300 linear feet of water main and associated fixtures.
• City of Rochester in Monroe County - $1,560,000 WIIA grant for installation of a pipeline protection system and interconnections for existing transmission mains.
• City of Rome in Oneida County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $13,500,000 short-term, interest-free financing for construction and installation of a new 500,000-gallon capacity water storage tank, replacement of 75,000 linear feet of water mains, pump station improvements, and electrical and telemetry improvements.
• Town of Southampton in Suffolk County - $1,059,113 WIIA grant for water main installation to extend the existing distribution system.
• Upper Mohawk Valley Regional Water Board in Oneida County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant for the construction of a 5,400 linear-foot transmission main to run water from the Hinckley Reservoir to the water treatment plant.
• Village of Waverly in Tioga County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $2,045,455 short-term market-rate financing for the replacement of approximately 16,000 linear feet of water main and associated valves, hydrates, laterals and fixtures.
• Westbury Water District in Nassau County - $7,389,000 and $680,850 WIIA grants for two projects for the installation of advanced treatment systems and new equipment to treat volatile organic compounds and emerging contaminants.

Clean Water Projects:

• Village of Bergen in Genesee County - $256,250 WIIA grant, $393,875 short-term, interest-free financing, and $393,875 short-term market-rate financing for the planning, design, and construction of a collection system and wastewater treatment plant improvements.
• City of Dunkirk in Chautauqua County - $11,387,106 long-term, interest-free financing for the planning, design and construction of the city's water pollution control project.
• Town of Lockport in Niagara County - $587,500 WIIA grant for pump station upgrades.
• Nassau County - $2,794,688 long-term, interest-free financing to plan and design the conversion of the City of Long Beach Water Pollution Control Plant to a pump station and force main to run wastewater to the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant.
• Village of Owego in Tioga County - $175,000 WIIA grant for wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
• Town of Seneca Falls in Seneca County - $2,162,450 long-term, interest-free financing for sanitary sewer rehabilitation and storm sewer improvements.
• Washington County - $6,549,799 long-term, interest-free financing for pump station improvements and infiltration and inflow mitigation.
• City of Watertown in Jefferson County - $6,978,406 long-term, interest-free financing for the planning, design and construction of sludge disposal process modifications at the William T. Field Memorial Water Pollution Control Plant. The City was also awarded $742,000 long-term, interest-free financing for the design and construction of influent screen replacement and grit system improvements.
• Village of Yorkville in Oneida County - $2,736,013 in long-term, interest-free financing for sewer rehabilitation work.

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.

Applications for this year's $400 million round of WIIA and IMG grant funding including grants to address emerging contaminants will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 22. Application materials and more information are available on EFC's website at efc.ny.gov.