SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $10 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GENESEE COUNTY TO UPGRADE DRINKING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Schumer And Gillibrand Say This Funding Will Build a New Expanded Water Storage Tank In Batavia To Replace Old & Undersized Tank, Increasing Safe Drinking Water Capacity Throughout Genesee County Which Is Impacted By Severe Drought
Schumer Secured Funding Authorization Three Years Ago And Together With Gillibrand Has Pushed To Clear Final Hurdle To Secure $$ For Genesee County
Schumer, Gillibrand: Fed $$ Is Secured For Clean Water Across Genesee County
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced they have secured $10,000,000 in federal funding in the pending fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bill currently being voted on in the House of Representatives and expected to come to a vote in the Senate later this month for Genesee County to build a new larger water storage tank in Batavia and increase badly needed drinking water capacity for residents, farms, and businesses throughout Genesee County.
In 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture declared Genesee County a drought disaster area, as numerous towns across Genesee County have had to endure low groundwater conditions in their wells alongside challenging water quality conditions. Over the last four years, emergency water restrictions have been placed on residents and businesses in an attempt to close the supply and demand gap. The senators explained that the federal funding they secured will enable Genesee County to help alleviate these water supply issues for residents by replacing its aged and deteriorating current 1.5-million-gallon elevated storage tank with a new and expanded 2.5-million-gallon tank.
“For decades, Genesee County has faced real concerns about whether its aging water infrastructure could meet the needs of residents, farms, and businesses while protecting public health and local jobs,” said Senator Schumer. “After years of working with the county, I’m proud to announce that I have secured $10 million so Genesee County can upgrade its drinking water system. This critical investment will support the design and construction of a new water storage tank in Batavia, helping deliver clean, reliable drinking water flow to tens of thousands of New Yorkers. Access to safe water and modernized water infrastructure systems is fundamental, which is why I fought to authorize this funding three years ago and ensure its inclusion in this year’s budget bill. I will always fight to keep New York’s drinking water clean and our communities safe and healthy.”
“I’m proud to have secured $10 million in federal funding to upgrade water infrastructure in Genesee County,” said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “All New Yorkers deserve access to safe, reliable, and clean drinking water, but for far too long, Genesee County’s aging water infrastructure has struggled to meet the needs of residents, farms, and businesses. This funding will go directly toward building a new, expanded water storage tank in Batavia, increasing capacity and helping ensure communities across the county have the dependable water supply they need now and in the future.”
Marianne Clattenburg Genesee County Legislature Vice Chair said, “This $10 million investment is a meaningful step forward for Genesee County’s water infrastructure and long-term needs. We appreciate Senator Schumer and Gillibrand’s continued involvement, along with our federal partners, in advancing this Section 219 project toward construction. This funding reflects the importance of steady collaboration to deliver infrastructure improvements that support our communities and local economy.”
Genesee County’s Water Storage Tank project will upgrade the entire county-wide water infrastructure system. The county will use this federal funding to design and construct a new water storage tank in Batavia, which assists in supplying approximately 40 percent of Genesee County’s drinking water. The new tank will be upsized to reduce stress on the county’s water infrastructure during periods of high usage and to safeguard residents and industries from drought conditions, water main breaks, and fire flow events.
Genesee County has long been dealing with a persistent drought situation and the need to increase safe drinking water capacity throughout the county, and the existing tank suffers from a deteriorating paint system and numerous structural concerns. Genesee County has business, agriculture, retail, and healthcare jobs that all depend on having a reliable, clean water source and will benefit from this new and improved water storage tank.
Schumer and Gillibrand helped secure authorization for this federal funding three years ago in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 which they led to passage in the Senate. With the funding authorization in hand, Schumer and Gillibrand pushed for this funding to be included in the final Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill currently being voted on in the House of Representatives and expected to come to a vote in the Senate later this month. The federal funding, if enacted into law, will be delivered through the Army Corps of Engineers.
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