Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved nearly $200 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 grants to get shovels in the ground for critical water and sewer infrastructure projects, from treatment processes to remove emerging contaminants from drinking water, to replacing lead service lines and modernizing aging systems. These investments protect public health and make projects more affordable, reducing the need for higher rate increases to fund improvements, while also creating good-paying jobs.
“Clean water is a fundamental right, and New York is leading the way in making sure communities have the resources they need to protect it,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will help New York City and communities across the state make critical upgrades to aging infrastructure, reduce pollution, and deliver safe, reliable water, while protecting the pockets of New Yorkers.”
The Board approved a major $50 million investment in New York City, including a $25 million grant from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding. The grant will be used by New York City exclusively for affordability programs that provide financial assistance to low-income water and sewer customers. The $25 million in interest-free financing will support a stormwater and resiliency project that is a key component of the larger Gowanus Canal Superfund Site cleanup. Construction of underground tanks and a network of improvements will fortify the City’s sewers and reduce combined sewage and stormwater overflows that have polluted the canal for a century…