Enacts the "safe water infrastructure action program act"

Title of bill

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to enacting the "safe water infrastructure action program act"

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would implement a new companion CHIPS-style drinking water and sanitary sewer infrastructure program that would provide annual funding to municipalities to swap out old, deteriorating pipes and water mains.

Summary of specific provisions

The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 120-dd to read as follows:

§ 120-dd. Safe water infrastructure action program.

1. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, and subject to an appropriation in an amount no less than two hundred million dollars annually made therefor and in accordance with the provisions of this section and with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner of transportation in connection therewith, on and after the first day of April, a safe water infrastructure action program is hereby established for the purpose of making payments toward the maintenance and/or repair of water systems, as defined by paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section one hundred twenty-u of this article, and sewage systems. The commissioner of transportation, in conjunction with the environmental facilities corporation, shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations to carry out the program so that an equitable distribution of aid shall be made for the maintenance and/or repair of any such water systems and sewage systems.

2. On or before the twenty-fifth day of April, June, September, and November of each state fiscal year commencing with the state fiscal year beginning on April first, two thousand seventeen there shall be distributed and paid to counties, cities, towns and villages an amount equal to the monies appropriated for the purpose of this section divided by the number of payment dates in that state fiscal year.

Justification

Several examples of our aging infrastructure have recently been manifested in the form of unsafe drinking water, transmission pipe bursts, and sewer line collapses throughout the state.

An aging infrastructure is not only costly to our localities and a threat to public safety; it is also an impediment to economic development. Communities facing severe fiscal constraints cannot absorb the financial burden of the frequent and disruptive breaks associated with an aged and deteriorating water and sewer infrastructure.

In too many instances, our state could be throwing good money after bad to maintain our roadways without regard to what dangers lay beneath the surface.

Like the current CHIPS Program, the "SWAP" Program will provide our towns and municipalities an annual funding source to maintain these systems which in many cases are more than 100 years old.

Bill history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

Minimal

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.