New York allocates $273 million to replace lead pipes, upgrade water infrastructure

New York is providing financial help to upgrade municipal water systems. The state is investing $273 million for water infrastructure improvements across New York, with projects ranging from lead pipe replacement to wastewater treatment plant upgrades. The funding, recently approved by the Environmental Facilities Corporation board of directors, combines federal and state resources to help municipalities access low-cost financing and grants for critical water and sewer improvement projects.

The package includes the first grant under Governor Kathy Hochul’s new $100 million Lead Infrastructure Forgiveness and Transformation program, including a $12.9 million award to replace nearly 2,500 lead service lines in Albany. This initiative is part of an ongoing $340 million effort across New York that leverages both state and federal funding.

Without clean water, businesses cannot run, people’s health can decline and standards of living are set back hundreds of years. But water systems are getting old, leading state and federal governments to increasingly step up investments to ensure water quality and system reliability across the United States.

New York has emerged as a leader in this space, committing more than $2.2 billion in financial assistance for local water infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2024 alone.

The newly approved funding supports projects across seven regions of New York. In Western New York, the Buffalo Sewer Authority secured $62.2 million for upgrades at the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, while Erie County received $56 million for improvements at the Southtowns Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility.

On Long Island, the Port Washington Water District was awarded $5 million to construct a granular activated carbon treatment system for removing toxic PFOA and PFOS. The Westbury Water District received an identical amount to install carbon adsorption vessels for treating these same contaminants at two wells.

In the Mid-Hudson region, the City of Newburgh secured $44.9 million for improvements to its combined sewage collection system and wastewater treatment plant. The North Country region also saw significant investment with the Town of Ticonderoga receiving $34.2 million for upgrades to its collection system and wastewater treatment plant.

The Southern Tier region received multiple awards, including $9 million for the Town of Owego’s Water Pollution Control Plant improvements and $4 million for the City of Norwich’s wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

To ensure long-term affordability, the board also approved nearly $10.7 million in long-term financing for completed projects in the City of North Tonawanda and Chautauqua County. These refinancing arrangements are projected to save local ratepayers approximately $16 million in interest payments over the life of the financing.

Looking ahead, the Governor’s office proposed FY25 Executive Budget includes an additional $500 million for clean water infrastructure, which would bring New York’s total water infrastructure investment since 2017 to $6 billion.

Photo by 逐光创梦