New York Governor Unveils $2B Clean Water Infrastructure Act
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 to invest a record $2 billion in critical water infrastructure across the state.
“Investing in water infrastructure is critical to fostering growth in our communities and our state,” Governor Cuomo said. “This Act will continue our historic commitment to protecting and preserving New York’s natural resources by infusing $2 billion in critical upgrades to water systems across the state. This investment will rebuild and improve our regional infrastructure, while supporting a stronger, healthier New York for generations to come.”
The $2 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act will provide the capital dollars needed to upgrade municipal drinking water systems, improve municipal wastewater systems, and protect drinking water at its source. In addition to incentivizing shared services, funding will also prioritize bottom-up, community based planning at the regional and watershed level. Funded actions will include:
Municipal Drinking Water System Advancements
- Installing advanced treatment and filtration systems to treat and remove both regulated and unregulated contaminants found in drinking water
- Upgrading aging distribution and treatment systems, including replacement of lead service lines in low-income communities
- Connecting contaminated private drinking water wells to regulated public drinking water systems
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems Improvements
- Installing advanced wastewater treatment systems, including those to address nitrogen loading on Long Island
- Upgrading aging wastewater treatment plants to increase capacity and improve resiliency
- Connecting existing homes in densely populated communities to sewer systems or installing advanced public on-site septic systems.
Source Water Protection Actions
- Implementing recommendations of community-driven Source Water Protection Plans funded by the Environmental Protection Fund beginning in 2017-2018
- Conserving open spaces and building green infrastructure, such as constructed wetlands, to capture runoff and filter contaminants
- Ensuring proper management and storage of common contaminants like manure and road salt to prevent runoff
- Increasing the state Superfund to expedite the cleanup of hazardous waste that may impact sources of drinking water
“Governor Cuomo continues to recognize the economic and environmental need to upgrade and improve the state’s aging water infrastructure and tackle emerging threats from unregulated contaminants in order to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean water,” Basil Seggos, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said. “The Clean Water Infrastructure Act significantly bolsters the state’s leadership by continuing strategic investments in water infrastructure projects. As communities across the nation are struggling to update water infrastructure and address new challenges from emerging contaminants, New York is once again leading by example and ensuring all communities have access to clean water.”
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