Water Infrastructure Advocates Urge
Gov. Hochul to Fund $500M in Budget
CORTLANDT MANOR, NY—New York State Sen. Peter Harckham, Assemblymembers Steve Otis and Dana Levenberg, along with a group of environmental advocates and labor leaders, urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to “hold the line” and protect funding for state water infrastructure projects to at least match last year’s budget levels.
Stressing the enormous need to upgrade water infrastructure in municipalities statewide, attendees at the Nov. 17 press conference here, including members of the New York Clean Water Coalition and the Construction Industry Council, called for a $500-million investment in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the upcoming Executive Budget proposal for FY2026-2027.
Town of Cortlandt Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker hosted the press conference at the Valeria Wastewater Treatment Plant in Northern Westchester County, where it was announced that Cortlandt is receiving $603,533 in low-cost financing from the state for construction and improvements at the treatment plant, which serves the Dickerson Pond Sewer District.
“Aging water mains, lead pipes, outdated sewage treatment plants and contaminants put public health and clean drinking water supplies at risk,” Sen. Harckham said. “New York’s clean water infrastructure funding helps keep our communities safe and habitable, all while ensuring the costs do not get passed on to ratepayers. Gov. Hochul has been a good partner on clean water infrastructure funding, and we urge her to maintain the current funding level at $500 million in next year’s budget.”
Assemblymember Steve Otis, a longtime advocate for clean water funding, said, “New York’s clean water programs are the most robust in the nation. Our WIIA (Water Infrastructure Improvement) and the IMG (Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grant) programs alone have provided over $3 billion in grant funding to over 1,100 projects statewide since 2015. Given the increasing burdens placed on local governments to fund water infrastructure projects for water quality and system capacity, we must maintain our $500 million funding level to clean water programs next year.
Rep. Otis added, “Storm intensity and flood mitigation challenges continue to increase. Maintaining the clean water budget allocation, the Environmental Protection Fund and the Bond Act programs are vital to address the increasing needs.”
Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley Executive Director John Cooney Jr. said that the association (CIC), along with its partners in organized labor, is also calling upon Gov. Hochul to maintain in her Executive Budget the $500-million investment in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act. “The need for modernization of municipal sewer and water facilities exceeds the ability of municipalities to fund projects like this one here in Cortlandt,” he explained.
Mr. Cooney thanked Sen. Harckham, NYS Assembly Member Dana Levenbeg and Assembly Member Steve Otis along with Cortlandt Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker for their efforts to bring a needed project like the Valeria Wastewater Treatment Plant here in Cortlandt to fruition.
In the FY2025-26 adopted state budget, the governor and the legislature maintained the statewide annual commitment at $500 million. The demands of local governments have increased to protect drinking water and to meet increasing standards for sanitary sewer system treatment. New challenges exist on issues, including emerging contaminants and possible loss of federal dollars.
In addition, local governments need more resources to comply with new federal regulations to make drinking water cleaner. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently enacted landmark requirements for water utilities to remove toxic PFAS chemicals from drinking water and replace 100% of lead pipes nationwide. More funding for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act is needed to ensure utilities can make these essential improvements without sharply increasing water rates. The EPA estimates that more than $80 billion is needed to repair New York’s aging and outdated water infrastructure.
“We have three water projects going on simultaneously, none of which the Town of Cortlandt could afford, none of which the residents could afford,” said Dr. Becker. “But they’re all going to be solved with the help of our partners in New York State government, and we need to ensure that this kind of support remains in place for municipalities.”
Published: November 18, 2025.