The Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved over $428 million in financial assistance for water infrastructure improvement projects across New York State. The Board’s approval authorizes municipal access to low-cost financing and previously announced grants to get shovels in the ground for critical water and sewer infrastructure projects, including treatment processes to remove emerging contaminants from drinking water and improvements that will modernize aging systems.
“Properly functioning water systems are crucial to New Yorkers’ quality of life – from the water flowing from taps to the numerous lakes and streams that provide amazing recreational opportunities,” Governor Hochul said. “These grants and low-interest loans help protect public health and the environment, reduce pressure on communities to raise funds quickly for essential upgrades, and minimize the financial impact of these crucial projects on local ratepayers.”
EFC’s Board approved grants and financings to local governments from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds – a mix of federal and state dollars dedicated to financing community water infrastructure projects. The State Revolving Funds provide financing at below-market rates, empowering communities to undertake critical sewer and wastewater projects at a much lower cost than traditional financing. Funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for water and sewer infrastructure is administered by EFC through the State Revolving Funds.
The Board additionally approved grants already announced pursuant to the state’s Water Infrastructure Improvement program. Leveraging federal funding with the state’s investments allows local communities to invest in system improvements that safeguard public health, protect the environment, bolster communities’ resiliency, and promote economic development.
Funding was approved for projects in the following regions:
Central New York
- Village of Homer – $4 million financing for the installation of a new 400,000-gallon drinking water storage tank, the decommissioning of two aged water storage tanks, and installation of approximately 1,850 linear feet of water main and a booster pump station to serve new users.
- Village of Pulaski – $12.3 million grant and financing package for the replacement of approximately 20,000 linear feet of aged drinking water main and associated appurtenances. The funding includes a grant from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022.
Finger Lakes
- Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority – $8.75 million grant and interest-free financing package for the planning, design, and construction of pump station improvements around Conesus Lake. A portion of this funding is from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- Village of Albion – $10.2 million grant and financing package for several upgrades to the existing water treatment plant, including upgrading the sludge thickening system, sedimentation system, and filtration system.
Mohawk Valley
- Village of Poland – $840,000 grant for the construction of a new chlorination/control building, raising the existing drinking water wells and replacing well pumps and pitless units, installation of a new electrical service, and improvements to the instrumentation, controls, and telemetry system.
North Country
- Development Authority of the North Country – $5 million grant for the replacement of 13,000 linear feet of existing drinking water transmission main and associated appurtenances on the Army Water Line from Booster Pump Station 1 to Route 11 along Patterson Road.
Western New York
- Chautauqua County – $24.2 million grant and interest-free financing package for the planning, design, and construction of new collection sewers around Chautauqua Lake for the second phase of the West Side Extension project. A portion of this funding is from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- Village of Depew – $2.1 million grant and financing package for the planning, design, and construction of sanitary sewer improvements to reduce inflow and infiltration in the collection system.
- Town of Pomfret – $5 million grant for the formation of the North End Water District Phase 2 project to serve approximately 100 existing residential and commercial properties that currently rely on private wells. This drinking water project includes installation of 64,000 linear feet of water mains and a booster pump station.
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