Village gets $3.2M from state for water, sewer projects

The village has been awarded $3.2 million by the state to put toward water and sewer projects that are intended to bolster the business district and reduce costs for residential property owners.

Village Mayor Ed Blundell said $2.3 million from the state Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvement Act will be put toward the $3.8 million cost of a recently completed water line replacement project, while $925,000 from the state Clean Water Infrastructure Improvement Act will pay for part of a planned $4.76 million sewer project. The sewer project already has been given a $1.2 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Of the water line project, Blundell said: “We have an overall plan to improve the water supply and infrastructure in the whole village. We had to bring our [water usage] rate up to be ready to pay back 30-year USDA money. Now what we can do with this grant [is] reduce the borrow amount.”

Blundell the recently completed water line project was the second of three phases. The entire effort is expected to cost $9.2 million.

“What this grant does is frees up some money so we can start Phase 3, and then the whole village will be upgraded with water,” he said.

Speaking about the sewer work, the mayor said the village “has never had a central sewer in its history. We’ve deemed that very important for the viability of the central business area and residents in that area.”

The village hopes the work will broaden the commercial appeal of the business district.

“Restaurants can theoretically handle a few more customers,” Blundell said. “But at the same time, the ancient and aged septic systems they have are over our aquifer, and we want to prevent any mishaps with the aquifer that we have. So those are the primary things — the environmental and the economic.”

The sewer plan calls for connecting about 125 properties to the system and using the existing Red Hook Commons wastewater treatment plant until a new facility can be built.

The sewer project could start as soon as early 2018, Blundell said.