Karn DhingraNew York’s Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) has approved $142 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects statewide.
The funding comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) and will support projects such as water and sewer infrastructure, treatment processes and removing emerging contaminants from drinking water.
“These funds are crucial to help communities modernize and protect critical infrastructure so that all New Yorkers have access to clean water,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a press release.
Both BIL and WIIA will provide funding for projects that will safeguard drinking water and improve water quality in Alexandria Bay, Newark, and Perry in Jefferson County, Hochul said. Additional WIIA funding was approved by the EFC for nine projects across the state.
Funding for the water and sewer infrastructure, which comes from the BIL, is administered by EFC through the State Revolving Funds.
New York touted short-term loans as a source of cheaper capital for the projects’ design and construction because they can be refinanced at long-term rates of up to 30 years, saving the municipalities significantly in interest expenses compared with financing on their own.
The town of Hempstead will use seven WIIA grants totaling $51.2 million to install equipment designed to treat emerging contaminants for two wells and a well field. The funds will support efforts to install additional treatment systems to remove harmful chemicals, quench residual hydrogen peroxide and extricate oxidation byproducts.
The Water Authority of Western Nassau County will receive four WIIA grants totaling nearly $31.5 million. The funds will enable the authority to install an AOP treatment system and a granular activated carbon filtration system. These improvements will allow the authority to remove harmful chemicals from four wells.
The village of Alexandria Bay will use $13.1 million in grants and financing to replace watermains, replace and rehabilitate water storage tanks. In addition, the village will replace water meters, the existing filtration system and upgrade the water plant.
The village of Perry will receive $7.2 million in grants and loans to upgrade the water treatment plant. Plans include upgrading the plants clarifier, raw water intake, low lift pump station and clear well storage tank. In addition, the village will install a mixing system, chemical feed system and elevated water storage tank.
