Blog

Jan 22, 2024

Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces $20 Million in Water Infrastructure Upgrades for Erie County Water Authority

Governor Hochul: "Everybody has a right to turn on that faucet and see and feel and experience fresh, clean water…That's why I fought for $500 million in the Budget for clean water infrastructure.

Governor Hochul: "Everybody has a right to turn on that faucet and see and feel and experience fresh, clean water…That's why I fought for $500 million in the Budget for clean water infrastructure. That's a lot of money, but I knew it was overdue – and the time has come to fund projects like this one. And that's why today, I am here to announce over $20 million to strengthen Erie County's water system.”

Hochul: “This is how we make a generational impact. We relieve the burden from our local taxpayers as best we can, take care of this so the next generation, perhaps for the next 50 years, won't have to make these investments. And that's exactly what we're doing.”

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $20 million in water infrastructure upgrades for communities in Erie County. With this funding, the Erie County Water Authority can complete a long-awaited, $80 million overhaul that includes upgrading water filters that treat 60 million gallons of water from Lake Erie each day, and haven’t had substantial upgrades for 70 years.

VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

AUDIO of the event is available here.

PHOTOS of the event are available on the Governor's Flickr page.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Good afternoon. It is great to be back in one of the most beautiful places in our state along the Niagara River – a place I'm very well familiar with. But as I see this water, I'm reminded that water really is the essence of life. And if we don't protect our water systems and the systems that deliver it, we're really putting our communities at risk.

This is a moral imperative that we provide clean water to our communities, our businesses, and our families. And that's exactly why I'm here today – to reassure thousands of our neighbors here in Western New York, and their kids and grandkids will know that they'll always have access to clean drinking water.

It's also important to businesses as we try to recruit businesses here. They always ask, “Is there plentiful, clean water?” And the answer must always be yes. And so, supporting the operations that make this possible is an important role of government. So today we're going to be announcing a significant funding source for the state, and it doesn't happen without great partners.

I see many of my partners here in the audience, and I want to thank our local leaders. First of all, we have Jerry Schad here who you’ll be hearing from, who is our Commissioner, Chairman of the Commissioners of the Erie County Water Authority. I want to thank him. Let's give him a round of applause.

We have Tonawanda Town Supervisor, Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger. Great to see you again, Joe. Great to see everybody here. Some of our board members, I see Carl Szarek. I've worked with him a long time. Good to see you, Carl. Jill O'Malley. Our county legislators, John Bargnesi and Michael – Michael, say your name for me. Kooshoian. Thank you for saying that. Michael Kooshoian. I want to get that right.

So, this is supported by the legislature. Our local officials, our former mayor, Tony Masiello has joined us here as well. This is somewhat of a homecoming as well. Also, our friends in labor, Scott Reed, the President of CSEA Local 1000. Thank you for the people who are actually working in these facilities, making the work get done, and also to many of our other friends here as well.

This is an important day because this generational investment that'll help alleviate the burden on local taxpayers from the state will make a difference. And this is going to be the first upgrade to the Erie County Water System in over 70 years. And to all the people who know how important this is, you need to know your Governor understands more than most.

I spent 14 years on a town board. We obsessed about water and sewer lines all the time, and we're always asking Albany for help because the cost is so prohibitive for local communities to put this on the backs of their taxpayers. So that's why when I became governor, I knew I was going to change the dynamic. Make sure that we listened to our local leaders, our county and town leaders who say, “We need help with infrastructure funding.” And the answer must be yes. The answer must be yes.

So I'm one of the few officials you're ever going to meet in my position who get really excited about water and sewer projects. And so the truth is, through no one's fault, other than a lack of resources, our systems have been decaying and deteriorating and sometimes bursting and breaking down. Essential upgrades were delayed, and localities had to just do this patchwork, trying to just do a whack-a-mole – put their finger literally in the dike to stop the water from bursting.

And generations of leaders have not been able to do much on this other than put a band aid on a bullet wound. And that's the scale of what we're talking about and leaving the problem to someone else. My friends, the problem has fallen on our laps, and we are not going to push this down to future generations and leaders.

The new era of leadership means we respond timely. Now I get it. Pipes and water filters aren't always really exciting to everybody. They don't get all like, “Wow, I can't wait to get new pipes underground,” because you don't see them. People think more of visible manifestations, big economic development projects, big stadiums, work on bridges. What we're going to do with the Kensington – there's a lot of visible work to be done. Even though this is underground and out sight, the main thing is when it doesn't function, then all of us are responsible for that. And we have a responsibility to make sure that we make these investments now.

So, the Van de Water Treatment Plant right here, this is what's doing it. This is what's providing clean water, accessible water for countless families here in the northern part of Erie County. And so, everybody has a right to turn on that faucet and see and feel and experience fresh, clean water.

But I also want to let you know something else. Water mains break. It causes a disruption. But when I see a water main break, I say, “That means this wasn't invested in.” And we have to make sure that we are investing in ways to make up for the past – the past neglect. And today, we're going to do this.

That's why I fought for $500 million in the Budget for clean water infrastructure. That's a lot of money, but I knew it was overdue – and the time has come to fund projects like this one. And that's why today, I am here to announce over $20 million to strengthen Erie County's water system will be delivered to the people of this county. This will allow the Erie County Water Authority to do what they've been wanting to do, which is a major, long overdue, $81 million water system overhaul.

And they'll be able to build backup systems. How crucial is that? And so, if one main goes down, there will be a second to fall back on so service is not disrupted. We're also upgrading the filters that'll clean 60 million gallons of water a day from the lake. That is extraordinary.

But I just walked through the labs. I see where this is happening, I see where the testing is going on three times a day. The people here are so dedicated to make sure that they give some – the people of their communities, the essence of life. And that's water. And I remember a time if you were drinking water out of here unfiltered, you were basically drinking poison. That's when I grew up. And you could see the steel plants and the chemical plants with their discharge is so open and wanton, no one even stopped them.

And that's why I'm a true hardcore environmentalist. You can't grow up in this area not far from Love Canal and recall the siege that was happening at our plants, dumping water right in this beautiful, freshwater lake – one of the greatest lakes and the rivers in the world. But nobody cared back then, back in the 70s and 80s. Today, people swim in that water. I swim in that water. I actually took a dip this summer. It's beautiful.

That's what happens when communities rise up, they demand better from their government, they invest the monies to clean up a place like Lake Erie and the Niagara River. And today, it’s a beautiful, welcoming place for recreation, boaters, swimmers, for commerce, and for our communities. But basically, the most important thing that that water does for us? Allows us to drink. Allows us to drink every single day.

So, we are replacing filters that have been servicing this area since the 1950s. Think about that - filters in place now from the 1950s. You know how often you change your filters at home? It's a long time not to do it. People that were first born when the original filters went in are now collecting Social Security. That's a long time.

So, let's invest in this. We know what’s at stake. New Yorkers know how important this is. That's why they overwhelmingly supported our $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. And now we have the resources to do what we've been wanting to do for so long. And part of that we're investing in helping out local governments with $425 million in grants so communities like this can upgrade their systems.

This is how we make a generational impact. We relieve the burden from our local taxpayers as best we can, take care of this so the next generation, perhaps for the next 50 years, won't have to make these investments. And that's exactly what we're doing. If you don't get in front of this, you get behind it, you get overwhelmed and you get washed away.

And I want to make sure the people of Western New York know, as a governor from this area, how important this is to me personally. And I believe this investment will make a difference that people have been waiting for a long time.

So, thank you. I'm happy to welcome up our commissioner, someone we've known a long time - Jerry Schad - and thank you for assuming this important role. Again, not one that's thought a lot about a lot. But if it's not working, that's all anybody will talk about. So, thanks for getting it right. Chairman Schad.