Seward Delivers Funding for Cooperstown Wastewater Treatment Plant

COOPERSTOWN, 12/20/16 – State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) today joined officials from the Village of Cooperstown to announce a $2 million state grant to fund major upgrades to the village’s wastewater treatment plant.  

“Infrastructure improvements are costly, but they are vital quality of life, economic development, and environmental necessities,” said Senator Seward.  “The Village of Cooperstown has designed an upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant that will meet current and future needs for those who live and work here along with the thousands of tourists who visit each year.  This state grant will help ensure that the upgrades will take place without a major rate hike for those who rely on the system.”

Village of Cooperstown Mayor Jeff Katz said, “The Village of Cooperstown is known worldwide, however, we do not have endless financial resources.  As we developed plans to upgrade our wastewater treatment plant, we worked diligently to balance the project costs with concerns over raising rates for residents and businesses.  Thanks to Senator Seward we are now able to move forward with this much-need infrastructure project while keeping costs to users in check.”

The $2 million capital grant secured by Senator Seward through the State and Municipal Facilities Program will be used to help finance a number of upgrades and equipment replacements at the village wastewater treatment plant.  Building improvements will also be instituted to extend the useful life of the existing facilities, some of which have nearly fifty-years in service.  The total cost of the improvement project is estimated at $7.5 million. 

“Protecting our water supply is critical, particularly in Cooperstown, the headwaters of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay.  The village has proven time and again to be a diligent steward of our environmental resources and this project is yet another example of the global thinking at work here.  I am extremely pleased to partner with the Village of Cooperstown on this crucial infrastructure project,” concluded Seward.

Work on the project is expected to be begin in spring 2017.

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