City of Binghamton to use $20M state grant for sewage treatment plant project

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — The City of Binghamton will use a $20 million grant award for the “reconstruction and rehabilitation” of the Binghamton-Johnson City sewage-treatment plant.

This funding supports a $5 million grant previously awarded under the same program, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release issued Wednesday.

The state awarded the funding through the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA). The funding is part of Cuomo’s $2.5 billion Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017, his office said.

Tropical Storm Lee and other flood events the same year “inundated” the plant in 2011, resulting in a total loss of treatment from the plant. It provides wastewater treatment for the City of Binghamton, the Village of Johnson City, and portions of the surrounding towns.

The $25 million grant award, combined with the interest free and low-cost financing received through the Environmental Facilities Corporation, will save ratepayers $134 million, Cuomo’s office said. The total estimated project cost is $330 million.

“For years, we’ve strongly advocated for additional state and federal funds for one of this region’s largest infrastructure projects,” Binghamton Mayor Richard David said in Cuomo’s release. “This is a culmination of those efforts. These grant funds will go directly to capital-project costs, which will reduce the burden on local ratepayers. I don’t believe the City has ever received a grant award of this size. We thank Gov. Cuomo for listening to our concerns and working with us. His commitment to supporting this critical infrastructure project will impact many residents and businesses across the region.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com