Communities surrounding Lake George are hoping to make upgrades to their wastewater treatment systems. WAMC’s Southern Adirondack Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports on a new round of state funding to make infrastructure improvements.
Lake George is known for its crystal clear waters that serve as a tourist attraction and economic anchor for the region. The lake also serves as a drinking water source for surrounding communities.
Conservation groups like the Lake George Association have been echoing municipalities’ calls for state support for wastewater and storm water infrastructure improvements. Walt Lender is executive director of the LGA.
“Some of the systems around the area have turned out to be not failing but in danger of failing or showing signs of their age,” said Lender. “So some serious funding needs to be poured into these systems to upgrade them so that they do not pose a risk to the water quality of Lake George.”
Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced $44 million in grants for water infrastructure improvements throughout the greater Capital Region. A total of $255 million was announced for projects statewide through New York’s Water Infrastrucutre Improvement Act.
More than $4 million would go to Lake George Village, where a new waste water treatment plant is needed, according to Mayor Robert Blais.
“Lake George deserves nothing than the latest technology,” said Blais. “We have the land available next to our present facility to build a new plant and so we struck out with an engineering firm and the estimates came in around $17 million.”
Lake George’s wastewater treatment plant was built in 1935. The antiquated system is stressed particularly during summer months when throngs of visitors and summer residents pack the village.
The village has been under consent order with the state to reduce nutrients that enter the lake. The village uses a system that discharges effluent onto sand beds that is diffused and filtered before it reaches the lake.
Unlike other localities, those surrounding Lake George are restricted from releasing treated wastewater directly into waterways.
The mayor says it’s impossible to build a new treatment plant without assistance from other sources.
“So this is a good first step, it’s coming at a great time,” said Blais. “We’re just now beginning to design the plant. We’re going to have a lot of engineering costs and two years from now we hope to be under construction.”
Blais says the village will seek additional state and federal funding before construction begins.
The Town of Hague, also on Lake George, is set to receive more than $98,000 in state funding to support a more than $394,000 project to make upgrades at its wastewater treatment plant.
The statewide funding will assist with both water treatment and delivery.
In addition to the grants announced last week, the state Environmental Facilities Corporation is expected to supplement the funding with $110 million in interest-free and low-interest loans to help communities make improvements.
