Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $20 million in water infrastructure upgrades for communities in Erie County. With this funding, the Erie County Water Authority can complete a long-awaited, $80 million overhaul that includes upgrading water filters that treat 60 million gallons of water from Lake Erie each day, and haven’t had substantial upgrades for 70 years.
“Water is our very essence, and when we don’t protect our water and the systems that deliver it, we put our communities at risk,” Governor Hochul said. “Today, we’re delivering significant funding for the first major upgrade to Erie County’s water systems, helping ensure over half a million people have access to clean drinking water for decades to come.”
This investment is the start of a major infrastructure project that will ensure that up to 180,000 Erie customers served by the Van de Water Treatment Plant will not be affected by prolonged service interruptions, and can respond to increased demands on the system. It will also help ECWA extend the life of its water infrastructure and provide its more than 550,000 customers with a reliable supply of safe and affordable water.
New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, “Governor Hochul’s commitment to ensuring New Yorkers have access to safe drinking water is evident in the state’s record investments to modernize water infrastructure, like the grant announced today. EFC is proud to work with our partners in state and local government to provide the grant funding which will make this critical project possible.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The $20 million announced today will allow Erie County to make upgrades to their water system that will safeguard their drinking water now and for years to come. I thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to the protection of the health of all New Yorkers as we know that clean and safe water is essential to life.”
State Senator Sean Ryan said, “Reliable access to clean water is vital to our health and to the Western New York economy. It’s something we often take for granted until it’s gone. This investment in modernizing ECWA’s filtration systems will ensure residents of Erie County can remain confident that our water supply is safe and dependable. I thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing upgrades to our clean water infrastructure here and throughout the state.”
Assemblymember Bill Conrad said, “Indeed, water quality is a quality-of-life concern. We’re fortunate to live on the freshwater shores of Lake Erie, but the age of our infrastructure brings challenges. I thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the need here, and for helping the Erie County Water Authority continue its work to safely and effectively deliver clean, low-cost water to is customers and communities.”
