Governor Kathy Hochul Awards $160 Million for Adirondack and North Country Clean Water Systems

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Monday the distribution of $160 million in state clean water grants through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to upgrade drinking water treatment plants, replace aging lead distribution mains, and construct modernized tertiary wastewater treatment facilities across twenty-two North Country and Adirondack mountain communities.

The funding addresses aging municipal water systems in tourist-heavy mountain towns where small permanent year-round tax bases struggled to finance multi-million-dollar treatment plant modernizations required to protect pristine mountain lakes and rivers.

Protecting the 6-Million-Acre Adirondack Park Watershed The Adirondack Park encompasses 6 million acres containing over 3,000 lakes and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams that feed municipal drinking water reservoirs serving millions of New Yorkers downstream.

"The Adirondack Park is a world-renowned natural treasure, but our mountain communities cannot thrive without modern, reliable clean water infrastructure," Governor Hochul said in Lake Placid. "Small rural towns with just a few hundred residents should not have to carry the financial burden of multi-million-dollar water treatment plants on their local property taxes. This $160 million investment provides direct state grants to protect our pristine lakes, modernize sewage treatment, and ensure clean drinking water for North Country families and visitors."

Municipal Grant Recipients Key project awards include:

• Village of Lake Placid (Essex County): $24 million for comprehensive wastewater treatment plant aeration and UV disinfection upgrades.
• Town of Saranac Lake: $18 million for groundwater wellhead filtration and watermain distribution replacements.
• Village of Tupper Lake (Franklin County): $16 million for emergency drinking water filtration plant modernization.
• Town of Ticonderoga: $15 million for Lake George basin wastewater interceptor pipe replacements.
• Eighteen additional rural townships receiving between $4 million and $10 million.

Local town supervisors, environmental advocacy coalitions, and regional tourism chambers praised the grant package, emphasizing that modern water systems protect lake recreation while supporting downtown affordable housing initiatives.