New York’s water infrastructure is under strain. Across the state, aging pipes, leaky sewers, failing treatment plants, and lead service lines threaten drinking water quality for millions of New Yorkers. These systems, many of them decades old, were not built for today’s demands, and they are increasingly vulnerable to breakdowns, contamination, and costly emergencies.
Local governments are being forced to shoulder the burden. Municipalities and water authorities face steep maintenance and upgrade costs, especially as federal support and environmental protections are rolled back. Too often, the price of keeping water systems running falls directly on local ratepayers and families who can least afford it.
Clean water is a basic public right. No one should have to worry about whether their tap water is safe to drink, a broken main will shut down Main St. or a failing sewer system will contaminate local waterways. Yet families, especially in low-income communities and communities of color, continue to face preventable health risks from contaminated water and failing systems. Climate change is only making the problem worse: extreme rainfall, storm surges, and coastal erosion are increasing the urgency of resilient, modern water infrastructure that protects public health and public safety.
That’s why Governor Kathy Hochul’s five-year, $3.75 billion investment in clean water infrastructure in this year’s budget is an important step forward. Sustained investments like this are essential to protecting public health, strengthening local communities, and ensuring the systems New Yorkers rely on remain safe and affordable.
These funds are a 50% increase in clean water funding, an additional $250 million annually over the next five years. Critically, $525 million in funding from this budget is flowing through the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA), which has proven to be one of the most effective ways to get funding to the communities that need it most and to address long-standing infrastructure needs efficiently.
When the CWIA was signed into law in 2017, it was hailed as a landmark commitment to New York’s clean water future, supported by a coalition of business groups, organized labor, and environmental advocates. Since then, the Governor has shown that New York remains committed to investing in clean water for public health, the environment, and New York’s economy.
Clean water investments reduce exposure to harmful contaminants like lead, PFAS, and 1,4-dioxane, while safeguarding the waterways and groundwater supplies that millions of New Yorkers depend on. They also create thousands of good-paying, family-sustaining union jobs across the state, including across the Hudson Valley. These are jobs that cannot be outsourced and strengthen local economies.
Aside from the clear public health and economic benefits, affordability is an important aspect of this work. Modernizing water systems is expensive, and without continued state support, costs often fall on local ratepayers, causing our bills to rise even further. Increased grant funding and low-cost financing will help communities protect public health without forcing families to foot the bill.
New York’s budget treats clean water as the public right that it is. Every project, whether it’s replacing lead service lines, upgrading aging water mains, improving stormwater management, or modernizing treatment facilities, means safer water, stronger communities, and good jobs. We are grateful to Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and partners across the legislature for delivering this sustained commitment. These funds will allow communities across New York to keep critical projects moving, plan for long-term upgrades, and protect residents for generations to come.
Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters and John Cooney, Executive Director at the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley
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