2/7/2017

The new year has brought new ideas of funding water infrastructure in New York State from the Governor and State Senate. 

In January, Governor Cuomo announced a record investment in critical water infrastructure across the state. The $2 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act will include funding for municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment improvements, and source water protection. The funding will prioritize "bottom-up, community based planning at the regional and watershed level". It is not yet clear how much of this funding will be available for New York City.

Then last week, Republican State Senator Kemp Hannon of Long Island topped that and proposed a $5 billion bond act for water infrastructure. These funds would be dedicated to "repairing, replacing and updating municipal wastewater, storm water and drinking water infrastructure" as well as addressing contaminated waterbodies. This measure will have to be approved by Governor Cuomo, the Senate and the Assembly before being vote on by the public in a referendum in November, 2017.

A Newsday article (out of Long Island) cites that New York State will need $31.4 billion of wastewater infrastructure investment over the next 20 years, and $22 billion for drinking water infrastructure. Cuomo's $2 billion plan with the $5 billion bond act would be a helpful start to  keeping up with the state's eminent water infrastructure needs.