New York Lawmakers Propose Program for Crumbling Water Pipes

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Small upstate New York communities faced with dilapidated wooden pipes rumored to be more than 100 years old need state money to repair water system infrastructure on the verge of collapse, a group of lawmakers said Thursday.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers joined officials in proposing a program that would provide annual repair and maintenance funds to villages, towns and cities based on the size of their water systems.

Sen. Jim Tedisco said the state’s outdated pipes, water towers and stormwater management systems could collapse, threatening public health and disrupting economic development.

The Glenville Republican said water main breaks cost small communities thousands of dollars each year in damage to new roads. Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin said local governments cannot afford to invest in the infrastructure without the help of the state.

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to put a new roof on the house if the foundation is completely rotten,” the Troy Republican said.

Local water systems typically are funded by fees and property taxes, and cities can also apply for grants. But Democratic Assemblyman Phil Steck of Colonie, said seeking grants is too lengthy and costly a process for small villages.

The lawmakers’ proposal, the Safe Water infrastructure Action Program, or S.W.A.P., would closely mirror the state’s Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, or CHIPS, which uses a formula to provide funds to local governments for roads and bridges each year.

Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett said the formula would create the stability necessary for water departments to hire new staff and schedule routine maintenance for water systems.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo has included close to $2 billion in his 2018 budget to address clean water infrastructure through grants and statewide initiatives. Supporters of funding for local water systems are asking for at least as much money as the CHIPS formula, which will receive about $436 million this year.

The state comptroller predicts New York’s water infrastructure will require $40 billion in repairs over the next two decades.

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