Westport wastewater infrastructure upgrade completed

WESTPORT | A critical $3.1 million wastewater infrastructure improvement project in the Town of Westport is officially complete. Local and state officials say the improvements not only protect public health and the environment but also help preserve Lake Champlain's role as a vital driver of the local tourism economy. State, federal, and local investments are minimizing the financial impact of the critical project on local ratepayers. "Every New Yorker deserves access to affordable clean water and reliable infrastructure," Gov. Kathy Hochul July 23 said shortly after a morning ribbon cutting and celebration of the completion. "This investment in Westport is a win for families, local businesses, and the millions who visit Lake Champlain each year. By making critical upgrades affordable for small communities, we're protecting public health, supporting a vital tourism economy and building a more sustainable future for the Adirondacks, North Country and beyond." PROJECT OVERVIEW The project focused on rehabilitating Sewer District No. 1 to address critical infrastructure needs. Deteriorated pipes and manholes had allowed excessive stormwater and groundwater to infiltrate the wastewater collection system. This excess flow strained the wastewater treatment plant and threatened the local watershed. By lining and replacing deteriorated gravity sewers and manholes, the town achieved a substantial reduction in key areas of the district; the town has substantially reduced inflow and infiltration. This crucial improvement significantly enhances the reliability and resiliency of its wastewater treatment operations, ensuring long-term compliance with state environmental regulations, and directly contributing to improved water quality in Lake Champlain, a vital regional resource. Town of Westport Supervisor Michael "Ike" Tyler said, "This project was essential for our community. With State support, we were able to take on a critical infrastructure challenge in a way that was financially responsible for our residents. These upgrades will protect our residents, our environment, and the lake we all depend on." FUNDING BREAKDOWN To help Westport affordably undertake the project, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provided a grant, and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation provided a grant and interest-free financing package: $1.9 million Water Quality Improvement Project grant $100,000 Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant to jumpstart the project. Planning grants set the framework to advance fiscally sound and well-designed projects to construction by supporting completion of an approvable engineering report for the project $309,000 Water Infrastructure Improvement grant $928,000 interest-free hardship financing from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund The financial assistance provided to Westport through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund is projected to save local ratepayers over $1.3 million in debt service compared to traditional financing. In the short term, loans subsidized through the State Revolving Funds can save communities as much as 75 percent in interest payments compared to borrowing in the municipal bond market. In the long term, State Revolving Fund loan repayments to EFC create a self-sustaining source of recurring revenue to meet the never-ending need to rehabilitate, replace and modernize aging infrastructure in the State. The State Revolving Funds are New York's primary financial mechanism for advancing its clean water goals, delivering over $1 billion annually to communities statewide. Combined with targeted State grants, the State Revolving Funds are part of New York's broader strategy to maximize the impact of infrastructure dollars, ensuring every region benefits from cleaner water, safer systems, and long-term sustainability. Fully funded State Revolving Funds are necessary for New York to be prepared to meet the never-ending need for communities to repair, rehabilitate and modernize aging infrastructure in the future. Access to affordable financing increases investment in water infrastructure, which can prevent costly catastrophic system failures and alleviate pressure on utilities to raise rates, providing relief to many families already struggling to pay their water bills. INVESTING IN THE ADIRONDACKS According to the Governor's Office, the project was part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's comprehensive affordability and clean water agenda to help ensure communities statewide have access to safe and sustainable water systems. The State allocated 22 percent of its financial assistance through the State Revolving Funds to Adirondack communities this year, totaling $263 million. In the past decade, EFC has awarded $623 million in financing and State and federal grants to projects in the Blue Line. This amount includes $316 million in State Water Infrastructure Improvement grants, reinforcing the State's commitment to helping small, rural communities affordably invest in water infrastructure. These strategic investments are helping to modernize aging systems, safeguard natural resources, and reduce the financial burden on rural ratepayers. In the last 10 years, DEC funded 76 projects in the Adirondacks through WQIP alone, totaling more than $71 million to upgrade critical water and sewer infrastructure and protect water quality and the environment. At least $75 million is currently available through DEC's WQIP program and up to $3 million is available through DEC's Non-Agriculture Nonpoint Source Planning and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Mapping Grant (NPG) program. Applications for these grants are available through the New York State's Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) through July 31 at 4 p.m. SUPPORTING SMALL COMMUNITIES EFC is currently accepting applications for $325 million in grants, including enhanced awards for sewer projects in small and rural communities. Even with substantial state support for water infrastructure, many small municipalities still face financial barriers. To address this, EFC was directed to double grants from 25 percent to 50 percent of the net eligible project costs for small struggling communities. This enhanced funding will significantly reduce the financial impact on local ratepayers. EFC's Community Assistance Teams are available to help local governments complete funding applications and encourage communities to reach out to receive help in addressing their local water infrastructure needs. This targeted outreach helps ensure that small, rural communities can successfully compete for funding and implement urgently needed projects. Essex County Chairman Shaun Gillilland said, "This project is a showcase example of teamwork at all levels of New York and local government to combat and alleviate the most challenging stresses on rural infrastructure; namely modernizing and improving older public wastewater systems to ensure they improve and not deteriorate our natural water resources and drinking water."

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Westport wastewater infrastructure upgrade completed

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