SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $1.9 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL NEW YORK
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Funds for a Vital Project the Town of Mexico Was Waiting Two Years to Start, After Findings of Poor Water Quality from Ground Wells
Project to Provide Approximately 100 Homes with Safe & Reliable Water within the Township
Oswego, N.Y. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $1,947,000 in federal funding for the Town of Mexico in Central New York. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Waste and Water Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The Town of Mexico will receive a grant amount of $462,000 and an additional loan of $1,485,000 to design and cover the costs of a new water district, Water Service Area #3, to provide safe and reliable water for residents living in the town.
The new water district will service homes with previous water quality problems within ground water wells. Initial testing by engineers led by the Town Supervisor’s Office found high levels of mercury and iron and higher than normal levels of E.coli in ground wells. After two stalled years, the water committee comprised of citizens residing within the proposed district and members of the Town Board will have the funding facilitated by Schumer and Gillibrand to develop and commence this project.
The Town of Mexico will move forward with designs and construction of Water Service Area #3, bringing municipal water to portions of State Route 3, US Route 11, Fish Road, Pumphouse Road, State Route 104, North Church Road, Chapman Road and Sage Creek Road in the township. This new water district will serve approximately 100 homes and between 200 to 300 people. In addition, new fire hydrants will also be installed to improve firefighting capabilities in the area.
“This much-needed funding and low-interest loan will allow the Town of Mexico to make wise infrastructure investments to its water district, which will enhance public health, access to clean drinking water and economic development,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding will also pave the way for the installation of new fire hydrants, which will provide local fire protection and boost public safety. This is great news and will now enable the town to make these crucial upgrades without passing the entire financial burden onto local taxpayers.”
“This investment through the USDA will help facilitate a critical project that would bring safe and reliable water to residents in the Town of Mexico,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal funding will allow for necessary resources and critical upgrades to the water system that will help protect public health and ensure that local taxpayers aren’t left to foot the bill alone.”
“Speaking for myself and the Town of Mexico, we are very pleased that these programs exist and are available for rural area’s such as ours to ensure our residents have a reliable source of clean drinking water and added fire protection,” said Town Supervisor David Anderson. “We would like to thank Senators Gillibrand and Schumer for their continued efforts in support of such programs.”
USDA Rural Development’s Waste and Water Program provides loans and grants to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water, sanitary sewage disposal and proper water drainage to households and businesses in rural areas.
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