Town gets $300,000 grant for water and sewer system

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. >> A state grant of $300,000 has been awarded to Saugerties to extend water and sewer lines along the Kings Highway corridor to the Mount Marion Firehouse to benefit the firehouse along with nearby homes and local businesses.

Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Saugerties, announced that the funding she secured will fund a water infrastructure capital project that will extend clean drinking water and a sanitary sewer system from Industrial Drive South to Mount. Marion Firehouse, connecting fourteen homes, four businesses, and the fire department to a municipal water supply for the first time.

The Ulster County Legislature matched s grant award, while the Saugerties Town Board and local residents contributed more than $400,000 to the project, which is expected to begin in 2023, an announcement about the funding said.

Saugerties is expected to contribute more than $400,000 to the project, which is expected to begin in 2023, the announcement said.

“I am incredibly proud to have secured a transformational capital investment for Saugerties, which will guarantee a clean and safe water supply for residents and small businesses along the Kings Highway Corridor and support our first responders at the Mt. Marion Firehouse,” Hinchey said in a statement. “As the climate crisis places new and costly burdens on our local water supply, it is incumbent that we step up and deliver for small, under-resourced communities like Saugerties.

Town Supervisor Fred Costello Jr. said the funding is much needed.

“Saugerties can hit go on a project to extend much-needed water/sewer lines to Mt. Marion Firehouse, which will provide our first responders with the tools they need when assisting the community during disaster emergency situations and allow homes and businesses to connect to municipal water functions,” Costello said in a statement.

Mount Marion Fire Company Chief Glenn Jones felt similarly.

“The Firehouse is used for evacuation situations as well as a staging location for utility contractors, and the water system we currently have in place is not adequate to handle major disasters,” Jones said in a statement.