Fourteen water and sewer projects in the Finger Lakes region have been awarded $52 million in state grants, including nearly $10 million for wastewater treatment work in the village of Avon, according to a state announcement.
The regional awards are part of nearly $500 million approved for 106 projects across New York. Together, the projects have estimated costs of $1.4 billion. The state described the awards as the first installment of Gov. Kathy Hochul's $3.75 billion clean-water investment plan in the enacted 2027 state budget.
Avon's award will support a wastewater treatment project intended to improve water quality in the Genesee River. The announcement identified the village as one of the recipients of enhanced grants for wastewater and sewer work in smaller, rural and disadvantaged communities.
The grants are intended to help local governments replace aging water and sewer infrastructure, remove lead service lines and address contaminants in drinking water. State officials said grant funding is meant to reduce the amount communities must finance on their own.
State projects and projected savings
State officials estimate the grants will save recipient communities across New York a combined $1 billion in debt-service costs compared with financing the work themselves under current market conditions.
The state also projects 22,400 jobs statewide associated with the projects in construction and related industries, including engineering, manufacturing and local services.
The awards span drinking-water and wastewater work in every state region. The announcement identified $64 million for 10 projects in Central New York, $26 million for seven in the Southern Tier and $67 million for 15 in Western New York, in addition to the Finger Lakes funding.
Funding for lead pipes and smaller communities
The package includes $119 million in enhanced grants for drinking-water projects that bring systems into compliance with state standards for emerging contaminants and for wastewater or sewer projects in small, rural and disadvantaged communities. Avon is among the five examples the governor's office named for this enhanced funding.
Another $64 million is going to projects that identify and replace lead service lines. State officials said more than $600 million has been committed to that work since 2021.
Municipalities that worked with the state Environmental Facilities Corporation's Community Assistance Teams received $120 million in awards. Hochul expanded that technical-assistance program in 2023 to help small, rural and disadvantaged communities complete applications, seek funding and plan water infrastructure work.
The corporation is also accepting applications for $45 million in Green Resiliency Grants and offers one-on-one consultations to municipalities seeking help with funding applications. The governor's office said New York has provided $10.6 billion to clean-water infrastructure projects since 2021.
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