N.Y. to invest $143M in seven water infrastructure improvements

New York State officials have announced $143 million in financial assistance for seven water infrastructure improvement projects.

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved low-cost financing and previously announced grants, authorizing municipal access to the capital necessary for drinking water and sewer project in New York City and the Finger Lakes, Mid-Hudson, and North Country regions.

"These low-cost financings and grants are the building blocks for municipalities to modernize and protect their critical water infrastructure," says Governor Kathy Hochul. "My administration will continue to tackle clean water issues head-on with strategic investments that will benefit New Yorkers for generations to come."

The Board's approvals include financings through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, as well as grants already announced pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvement grant program.

Drinking Water Project Funding:

• New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority (two projects)
  $100,000,000 short-term market-rate financing to excavate and construct Shafts 17B-1 and 18B-1 in City Tunnel No. 3 in Queens to provide to provide redundancy for the city's water system as well as allowing better flow control and management of the water system.
  $22,000,000 short-term market-rate financing to design and construct the Croton Water Filtration Plant and associated facilities.
• Village of Harriman in Orange County (two projects)
  $538,551 WIIA grant to install a granular activated carbon treatment system for the removal of emerging contaminants from Well No. MH-1A.
  $284,955 WIIA grant to install approximately 600 linear feet of 8-foot ductile iron water main from the existing distribution system located on Harriman Heights Road to Well HH #3.
• Village of Watkins Glen in Schuyler County - $13,500,000 short-term interest-free financing, $3,000,000 DWSRF grant, and $2,000,000 WIIA grant for a new intake screen, new raw water pump station, new pressure filters at the water treatment plant, upgrades to existing filters and underdrains at the water treatment plant, a new approximately 500,000-gallon storage tank, existing storage tank upgrades, replacement of approximately 40,000 linear feet of water main and upgrades to the SCADA system at the water treatment plant.

Clean Water Project Funding:

• Village of Penn Yan in Yates County - $167,500 short-term interest-free financing, $132,750 WIIA grant and $132,750 CWSRF grant for disinfection improvements at the wastewater treatment plant.

• Village of Philadelphia in Jefferson County - $774,320 short-term interest-free financing and $625,680 short-term market-rate financing for disinfection improvements at the wastewater treatment plant.