Village Of Ossining Wins $10M To Construct New Water Treatment Plant

VILLAGE OF OSSINING, NY — The village's plans to invigorate its infrastructure just got a massive boost from the state.

Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled the first awards last week under the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund, a $150 million initiative to increase the housing supply in New York’s Mid-Hudson region.

The Village of Ossining was awarded $10 million through the program for the construction and operation of the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant to ensure high-quality drinking water for around 300 homes in the village. Two other Westchester County municipalities also received Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund awards: the City of Peekskill received $10 million for essential infrastructure improvements to accomodate over 1,000 new homes, while the City of Mount Vernon received $8.7 million for a transit-oriented development project that will add 315 housing units.

The Village of Ossining owns and operates the existing Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant, in the Town of Ossining, right next to the southwest portion of the village-owned Indian Brook Reservoir. This plant has long provided drinking water to both the Village of Ossining and the unincorporated Town of Ossining.

In 2016, the village and town together started plans for the construction of a new water treatment plant as it was agreed that the existing plant was reaching the end of its useful life and could not continue to operate efficiently at the capacity that would be required to accommodate future growth and new regulatory requirements. The planning process, which included review and approval required by both the state and county departments of health, took six years to complete. During that time, water rates were adjusted to build a reserve in anticipation of constructing the new plant.

"When planning for the new water treatment plant began, no one could have imagined the series of events and challenges to come," Ossining Mayor Rika Levin said. "Learning from negative emergency water events in other municipalities across the country has informed our need for this upgrade here in Ossining. In addition, the accelerating consequences of climate change, the aftermath of a global pandemic, and a national housing crisis have raised awareness of the need for solid and reliable essential infrastructure. Simultaneously, the cost of infrastructure has risen significantly as well. With this understanding, we have maintained our commitment to the construction of the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant and to securing additional funding sources to finance this Project. "

The $97 million project was awarded to ELQ Industries, Solar Electric, Carey and Walsh, and Mace Contracting in January of this year. Project delays due to the pandemic, new design requirements to meet changing raw/finished water quality standards, and construction cost increases, combined with rising interest rates, drove up the anticipated price of the project significantly.

Village leaders sought additional funding resources, and every opportunity to apply for grants for the project was pursued. Including the $10 million Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund grant awarded last week, the village has received a total of $17,704,812 towards the project to offset construction expenses. Prior awards have been a $5 million Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant awarded to the village in 2023 and a $160,000 Green Infrastructure Improvement Grant awarded in 2019, which will fund a green roof on the new plant. In addition, the village has applied the entire amount of their $2.54 million in American Rescue Plan funds, awarded to the village by the federal government in response to the COVID pandemic, to the plant’s construction.

"The Town and Village are unified in our commitment to provide clean, safe water for Ossining residents. We have worked together diligently over the past several years, planning for this critically important Project," Town Supervisor Liz Feldman said. "This $10 million award will go a long way to making sure we can meet this commitment while keeping water rates affordable. Thank you to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for creating this valuable program to fund essential infrastructure programs like the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant, and thank you to our state legislators for their unwavering advocacy on Ossining’s behalf."

The village team expressed gratitude to their state representatives, who have advocated strongly for Ossining to receive the highly competivie grants.

"I am so pleased that the state will be making substantial contributions toward the completion of the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant, with $10 million from the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund in addition to $5 million from Water Infrastructure Improvement Act funds. I was proud to support Ossining's applications for this funding, as it will help offset potential ratepayer increases," Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg said. "Ossining Village officials work hard to maintain our water infrastructure and are taking proactive action to ensure that our community will have a facility that can meet increasingly complex needs. Clean water infrastructure is critically important not only to the greater Ossining community but also in the context of New York's housing goals. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for prioritizing funding for communities like Ossining that are doing their part to add to our housing stock, which will help bring down the cost of housing in the area."

In addition to the new Indian Brook Water Treatment Plant's benefits for the Village and Town of Ossining in terms of the guaranteed provision of quality drinking water, officials noted the project's valuable benefits with regard to affordable housing, economic development, placemaking, and local tourism in Ossining and the broader region.

"Governor Hochul’s directing of $10 million to the Village of Ossining to build a new water treatment plant is great news: this municipality prides itself on its clean drinking water, and its efforts to maintain this distinction are noteworthy," NYS Senator Pete Harckham said. "The funding, which I advocated for and passed as part of the FY2024-2025 State Budget, is illustrative of the state’s strong commitment toward supporting new housing in our communities and strengthening the infrastructure necessary to do so. Mayor Levin and Supervisor Feldman deserve our thanks for their leadership in advancing much-needed investments in infrastructure."