Schumer Announces Federal Dollars Coming To Organizations In Cayuga County

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that three sets of federal dollars will be awarded to organizations in Cayuga County by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program as a Water and Waste Disposal Grant. The Town of Moravia has been awarded a $328,000 grant and $642,000 loan to be used to correct problems with the water system. The Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority has been awarded a $328,000 grant and $172,000 loan for phase one of the proposed sewage facility for the Village of Fair Haven and the western portion of the Town of Sterling, and a $509,000 grant and $298,000 loan for pump station for the sewage facility that covers Red Creek Regional WWTF.

"This is great news for communities within Cayuga County," Schumer said. "The water and waste systems are critical to the livelihood of the community and the health of local residents. Clean drinking water and proper sewage disposal are basic needs and this funding will help the community meet those needs, improving the quality of life for everyone in the area."

The Town of Moravia will use federal funds to correct problems with the existing water system. The existing water system in Water District #1 does not meet current health codes and is a threat to residents. To correct the problem, approximately 7800 linear feet of 4inch and 1500 linear feet of 6inch water main will be installed. Also an additional booster pump will be constructed to provide adequate pressure to residents in this district.

The Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority will use federal funds for two separate projects. In the first project, the federal funds will be used for the construction of Phase I of the proposed sewage facility which will serve the areas of the Village of Fair Haven and the western portion of the Town of Sterling. This facility will include a combination of gravity sewers, pumping stations, and forcemains. Residents currently have individual septic systems which are failing due to age and inadequate lot size.

The second project will use funds toward the pump station of the proposed sewage facility which will convey wastewater from the project area to the Red Creek Regional WWTF. These facilities are considered to be the backbone of the system and all EDUs located within the project area will be directly benefited by this construction.

The USDA Rural Development Water and Waste Disposal Grant program works to reduce water and waste disposal costs to a reasonable level for rural users. The Grant program also sends funds to help develop waste and waste disposal systems in rural areas and towns. Grants can be used to construct, repair, modify, expand, and improve water supply and distribution systems; acquire needed land and water sources; and pay for legal and engineering fees when necessary to build facilities.