Assemblyman Santabarbara announces that $10 million has been set aside in the final state budget specifically for water and sewer infrastructure repairs that is more immediately available to municipalities under emergency circumstances.

“Aging infrastructure has put our communities in desperate need,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “Although we have seen more funding to strengthen and upgrade infrastructure across the state for long-term solutions, more immediate funding must be made available for unexpected water and sewer infrastructure failures that pose a threat to people’s health as well as their properties and require immediate attention.” Santabarbara added, “This emergency water infrastructure funding, modeled after legislation I introduced earlier this year, will make more immediate funding available to assist communities with water and sewer infrastructure repairs that must be made under emergency circumstances.”

“Infrastructure failures like what the City of Amsterdam saw last summer force us to draw funds unexpectedly from other critical areas of our budget to address make repairs, putting considerable financial strain on our City,” said City of Amsterdam Mayor Michael Villa. “This fund would alleviate that pressure in emergency situations.”

“Across the state, cities are facing the challenge of aging infrastructure,” said City of Schenectady Mayor Gary R. McCarthy. “Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara’s legislation providing critically needed financial support from the State will lend a hand to cities as they confront infrastructure emergencies.”

“With water emergencies occurring all too frequently, it is critically important to establish an emergency funding mechanism to help communities address these needs. This emergency water infrastructure funding ensures that a stable and readily accessible pool of money is available for New York localities to respond to crises that threaten water supplies and sanitation,” said Jay Simson, CAE, ACEC New York President.