The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to provide $307m to the states of New York and New Jersey to finance water infrastructure projects.
Image: New York City’s East River. Photo: Courtesy NYC.gov.
EPA has agreed to provide $222.5m to New York and $84.5m to New Jersey. These projects are essential for protecting public health and the environment. The funds will be used to upgrade wastewater and drinking water infrastructure systems throughout the two states.
As part of the plan, EPA has awarded $177m to the New York Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYSEFC).
The New York Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program, administrated by NYSDOH and the NYSEFC has received $45m.
For New Jersey, EPA has awarded $65m to the New Jersey Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program and $18m to the New Jersey Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program.
The funding will be used for financing projects in New York in the Town of Ballston for planning design, and construction of a new sewer district to serve businesses and residences and maintain water quality in Ballston Lake.
Binghamton/Johnson City will use the funding to design and construct a project to rebuild components of the sewage treatment plant to improve water quality in the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers.
New York City will use the funding for the construction and construction management of the Bronx and Manhattan grit chambers that provides primary screening to Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in improved water quality in the East River.
In New Jersey, the state’s CWSRF will allocate the funding to Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission to rehabilitate concrete and to add protective coatings on 12 secondary treatment clarifiers at its sewage treatment facility.
Raritan Borough will use the funding to repair or replace decaying sewer pipes that add raw sewage overflows and adversely impact the Raritan River.
And, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority will use the funding to reduce combined sewer overflows by installing ten new rain gardens in the city of Camden and to replace deteriorating combine sewer pipes.