Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE – Sag Harbor) announced that he helped pass the 2017-18 state budget, which provides $2.5 billion for water infrastructure to help ensure clean drinking water by repairing and replacing old pipes and water mains, as well as preventive measures, such as source water land acquisition, to keep water from becoming polluted. The budget also provides $300 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, with dedicated funding for environmental justice programs to help low-income communities impacted by pollution.

Investing in clean water

“We should never have to worry that the water coming out of our faucets and drinking fountains is anything but safe for our children,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “Contaminated, dirty water can have devastating long-term effects, causing illnesses and hurting development, and we need to prevent that. We have to be proactive on something this important.”

The funding for water infrastructure, which is a $500 million increase over the executive’s proposal, includes:

• $1 billion for the 2015 Water Infrastructure Improvement Act to help municipalities upgrade their drinking and wastewater infrastructure;
• $350 million for clean water infrastructure projects after 2021;
• $245 million for water quality improvement projects;
• $150 million for inter-municipal water infrastructure grants;
• $130 million for drinking water remediation and mitigation of contaminated drinking water;
• $110 million for land acquisition projects for source water protection;
• $100 million for municipal water quality infrastructure programs;
• $75 million for upgrades and replacements of septic systems and cesspools;
• $50 million for green infrastructure projects;
• $50 million for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs);
• $20 million for the replacement of lead drinking water service lines;
• $10 million for a water infrastructure emergency loan fund; and
• $10 million for IT system upgrades related to mapping technologies.

“Clean water is absolutely essential to our health and safety,” said Assemblyman Thiele. “New York is full of communities that have outdated water infrastructure. We’ve seen way too many water main breaks and drinking water contaminations that threaten the health of our families. It’s important that we make robust investments in replacing old pipes and water mains.”

The Assembly has been at the forefront in the push for significant investments in water infrastructure, continuously calling attention to the importance of safe, clean drinking water. The budget also establishes a drinking water quality council within the Department of Health to make recommendations on issues surrounding water contamination and testing with input from stakeholders and the public. Further, it implements an Emerging Contaminant Monitoring program to identify emerging contaminants in public water systems, as well as establish testing and notification requirements. Mitigation and remediation of contaminated drinking water supplies would also be available.

From Hoosick Falls to Newburgh to Long Island, recent crises have shown that we need to do more to keep our drinking water clean before it’s too late, noted Assemblyman Thiele. The program would ensure drinking water is tested for known contaminants like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as well as emerging contaminants, on a regular basis and that the necessary steps are taken to keep residents safe.

“They say that water is the building block of life,” Assemblyman said. “When it comes to something that important, we can’t afford to skimp on our investments. The water that we drink and cook with simply must be clean.”