The New York State budget is due April 1—tell Albany lawmakers to invest in clean water infrastructure!
Much of New York’s wastewater and drinking water infrastructure is aging and failing. As a result, sewage is overflowing into waterways, emerging contaminants are being discovered in drinking water, and water main breaks are closing streets and businesses. Critical funding to fix our water infrastructure is at risk of being cut in the final state budget that is due April 1—we need you to take action today!
The NY Clean Water Infrastructure Act has been funded at $500 million annually since 2019, yet Governor Hochul has proposed to cut funding for this successful program by 50%, down to $250 million, in her 2024-2025 executive budget proposal. To make drinking water safe and affordable for all New Yorkers, protect our environment, and create jobs, Governor Hochul and the legislature must restore full funding to the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the final 2024-2025 NYS budget! Email Governor Hochul and legislative leaders today.
BACKGROUND
Since 2017, New York has invested $5 billion in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, which has made significant progress in upgrading sewage treatment plants, filtering toxic contaminants out of drinking water, replacing lead drinking water pipes, replacing failing septic systems, protecting drinking water at its source, and more. This is helping to make drinking water safe and affordable, protect our environment, and create thousands of good jobs in every community across the state.
While progress is being made, now is not the time to turn off the tap on clean water infrastructure funding. The state has conservatively estimated that it will cost about $80 billion to upgrade our wastewater and drinking infrastructure over 20 years. This massive estimate does not include the cost of complying with two forthcoming federal regulations—the first will require New York to replace nearly 500,000 lead drinking water pipes over the course of a decade and the other will require an estimated 300 communities across NYS to remove toxic PFAS chemicals from drinking water. Complying with these important public health protections will cost billions of additional dollars.
Governor Hochul and the legislature must continue to invest in the Clean Water Infrastructure Act to provide clean and affordable water for all New Yorkers. Governor Hochul and the legislature should provide $600 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act in the 2024-2025 NYS budget!
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
All of us at CCE