New York State would invest $2 billion to enhance water infrastructure under a proposal announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo Monday.
Cuomo said the Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 aims to provide capital dollars needed to upgrade municipal drinking water systems, improve municipal wastewater systems and protect drinking water. The Democratic governor said funding for individual projects will prioritize regional and watershed level solutions while also incentivizing consolidation and sharing of water and wastewater services.
"Investing in water infrastructure is critical to fostering growth in our communities and our state," said Cuomo in a statement. "This investment will rebuild and improve our regional infrastructure."
Cuomo's Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2015 enacted $400 million to rebuild the state's drinking water and wastewater systems. The new legislation, which needs to pass both the Assembly and state Senate, would provide funding for installing advanced wastewater treatment systems and upgrade aging plants to increase capacity. Cuomo is also proposing to connect existing homes in densely populated communities to sewer systems or installing advanced public on-site septic systems as a method to improve municipal drinking water systems.
