A $500,000 federal grant will pay for engineering and design work on a regional sewer project serving Hornell, North Hornell and Hornellsville, officials announced Wednesday.
The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded the money to the city of Hornell for the Hornell Intermunicipal Sewer Improvement Project. The work is being developed jointly by the city, the village of North Hornell and the town of Hornellsville.
The project's planning phase is expected to cost $1,082,700. In addition to the federal grant, the project has $582,700 in state funding, according to an announcement from U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy's office.
The funding will support field surveys, underground investigations and hydraulic evaluations of the regional wastewater system. It will also pay for environmental reviews, coordination with regulators and the preparation of preliminary and final engineering documents.
Those documents are intended to produce construction-ready plans and specifications for replacing or rehabilitating eight aging sewer pump stations and related trunk sewer infrastructure. Officials said the equipment has exceeded its useful life and is experiencing problems with capacity, reliability and resilience.
The grant covers planning and design rather than construction. Officials did not provide a construction schedule or identify how much additional funding would be needed to complete the physical improvements.
Langworthy said the investment would help the three municipalities address wastewater needs while preparing for future growth. He said reliable infrastructure supports public health and can help communities attract businesses and jobs.
Hornell Mayor John Buckley said the grant would move the regional project forward while reducing pressure on local taxpayers. He also said the planning work would position the participating municipalities to seek the additional money required for construction.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership serving 423 counties across the Appalachian region. The commission funds projects intended to support economic development and strengthen local capacity in those communities.
The announcement did not specify when the engineering and design work will begin. The project remains in the preconstruction stage while the municipalities develop the technical plans and complete required reviews.
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