Albany – As Governor
Cuomo prepares his budget proposal, local officials from around the
state urged him to help communities rebuild aging drinking and
wastewater infrastructure by investing $800 million annually.
Over the last two years, New York State has begun to provide
communities the funding they need for water infrastructure projects,
which bolsters the state’s commitment to growing the Upstate economy,
and providing clean, safe drinking water for all New Yorkers.
The local leaders
represent communities that have had to grapple with pipes that may be
more than 100 years old, which has led to sewage overflows and water
main breaks that damage streets, close businesses
and schools, pollute our waters, and can harm public health.
Troy Mayor Patrick
Madden said, “The issue of aging infrastructure continues to be a
challenge for legacy cities like Troy and other communities across New
York State. Support from the Governor and state legislature
for programs like the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act has provided
critically important funding for necessary upgrades to our city’s water
and sewer network, including the planned replacement of a major water
transmission line which serves Troy and several
nearby Capital Region communities. An increase in available state
funding for water infrastructure projects would strengthen New York’s
ongoing efforts to provide needed investments in local water systems,
and ensures the continued prosperity of our city,
region and state.”
Troy has 145 miles of water lines, with an
estimated repair cost of $2 million per mile.
Albany County
Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “The time is now to invest in the
state’s water infrastructure to ensure that we can help local
communities meet their needs in the years to come. It’s been a
challenging year and we must work together to ensure we invest in our
systems and consider the burden on taxpayers.”
Green Island Mayor
Ellen McNulty-Ryan said, “All municipalities face the same reality that
their infrastructure is old, frail and in need of significant overhaul.
We are appreciative of the efforts of our
New York State Legislature and Governor Cuomo to allocate grants for
infrastructure improvements during their last session but the real need
is to provide for a continuous funding source. I ask that they please
consider a program that will assure that these
needed upgrades and repairs are made on a regular basis so as to
provide a safe, clean water supply for the future of our communities.”
Click here for the full statement.
Source: Environmental Advocates of New York
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