New York State officials have announced the award of $110 million to 86 projects to improve water quality across the state.

The funding, distributed through two grant programs, will support projects to improve wastewater infrastructure, drinking water quality, combat harmful algal blooms, update aging water infrastructure, and improve aquatic habitats.

“New York continues to provide historic levels of financial support to ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean water for generations to come,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We will continue upgrading New York’s aging infrastructure and strengthening our water security — improving the quality of life and public health of communities across the state.”

Sources of funding

The $110 million in grants were administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), with more than $108 million going to 51 projects through the State’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program and nearly $2 million going to 35 projects through the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Mapping Grant (NPG).

Nearly half of the WQIP and NPG awarded grants, totaling approximately $45 million, will support projects in watersheds known to have experienced harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the past five years and/or help implement a project identified in a DEC HABs Action Plan.

The WQIP grant program funds projects that directly improve water quality or aquatic habitat, or protect a drinking water source. Supported in part by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and Clean Water Infrastructure Improvement Act funding, WQIP projects include municipal wastewater treatment upgrades, non-agricultural nonpoint source abatement and control, land acquisition projects for source water protection, salt storage construction, aquatic connectivity restoration, and marine habitat restoration.

The NPG program funds projects that help pay for the initial planning of non-agricultural nonpoint source water quality improvement projects, such as undersized culvert replacements and green infrastructure technologies, and State permit-required storm sewer mapping in urban areas. When implemented, these projects will reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering lakes, rivers, and streams, and improve resiliency against climate impacts.

The full list of awardees can be found at www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/4774.html for WQIP and www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/116725.html for NPG.

Examples of the wastewater projects funded in this round include:

• Onondaga County - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure, Combined Sewer Overflow/Sanitary Sewer Overflow Reduction (Central New York): The county will repair and/or replace the force main sewer collection system in the areas of Ley Creek and Liverpool, improving the water quality of Onondaga Lake.
• Town of Chenango - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements (Southern Tier): The town will add new treatment technology at its Northgate facility to help meet State standards and improve water quality by reducing the amount of phosphorus entering the Chenango River and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
• Buffalo Sewer Authority - $10 Million for Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure, Combined Sewer Overflow/Sanitary Sewer Overflow Pollution Reduction (Western New York): Buffalo Sewer Authority will improve wastewater treatment equipment at the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility, including rehabilitating primary sedimentation tanks and associated sludge pumping and piping, and installing a new disinfection facility. This project will provide a higher level of primary treatment for wet weather flows through the facility and improve the quality of water entering the Niagara River. This builds upon the announcement in October that construction began on the wastewater improvement project at Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility.
• Town of Hermon - $718,400 for Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements (North Country): The town will upgrade their wastewater treatment facility by adding ultraviolet disinfection equipment, improving the water quality of Elm Creek.