Capital Region Officials to Governor Cuomo: $800M Needed to #FixOurPipes

 

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