Ritchie: $3 Million Will Help Provide Clean Drinking Water to the Town of Orleans

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced the Town of Orleans will receive $3 million in state support to bridge a funding gap and allow for the construction of a water system that will resolve a longstanding contamination issue and in turn, provide clean water to residents and businesses. 

The $3 million in support is the result of actions in the budget that increased funding for clean water grants.  Funding was included as a result of Senator Ritchie’s advocacy on behalf of Orleans and other communities struggling with clean water issues.    In total, municipalities in the region represented by Senator Ritchie will receive nearly $12 million in funding for water infrastructure projects.

“For decades, people in the Thousand Islands community of Orleans have struggled with heavy salt contamination in their wells that has made life difficult for residents and hampered economic activity in a region of our state that has such potential for growth,” said Senator Ritchie.

“I would like to thank the state for recognizing how critical it is for Orleans to move forward, put shovels in the ground and begin work on a project that will deliver clean, fresh water to residents and businesses in this community.”

“For far too long, people in the Town of Orleans have had to go without one of life’s necessities—clean water,” said Town of Orleans Supervisor Kevin Rarick.

“Since day one, Senator Ritchie has listened to our concerns and gone to bat for our community.  We are thankful for her advocacy, and are pleased to see this positive next step in our work to provide people and businesses throughout the Town of Orleans with safe, clean water.”

“From drinking to bathing, it goes without saying that clean water is an essential part of life,” said Jefferson County Legislator Phil Reed, a resident of the Town of Orleans.

“We are grateful to Senator Ritchie for standing up for us, and working with other leaders to develop a solution that corrects this problem and provides residents and businesses with the clean drinking water they deserve.”

Since 2011, Senator Ritchie has been working with the Orleans community to find a solution to the contamination and bring clean water to affected residents. Earlier this year, she successfully advocated for the full cost of a new water system for the Town of Orleans to be included in the Senate’s one-house budget.  Most recently, she convened a meeting with top-ranking state officials that resulted in a commitment from the state to assist the town in bridging the funding gap so that construction of the water system could begin.

Other municipalities represented by Senator Ritchie receiving funding for drinking and clean water projects include: