Completion of Third Street Sewer Project is a Major Milestone in State's Historic $150 Million Environmental Justice Investment
Construction Completed on Mount Vernon Healthy Homes Pilot Program to Improve Indoor Wastewater Infrastructure
Other Actions Underway to Address Wastewater and Stormwater Challenges, Remove Lead Drinking Water Service Lines
Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated significant milestones and ongoing progress in the multi-year implementation of New York State's historic $150 million investment and partnership with the City of Mount Vernon and Westchester County to address the community’s longstanding water infrastructure concerns. The State’s expedited funding and planning processes helped complete construction on the critically important Third Street Sewer Project and Healthy Homes Pilot Program. Additional work is underway to repair water infrastructure and replace lead pipes across the city.
“The ongoing progress in Mount Vernon is a major victory for environmental justice and an example of what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local governments work together to overcome decades of neglect and disinvestment,” Governor Hochul said. “I am incredibly proud of the historic partnership and agency collaboration that are making these long-overdue infrastructure improvements possible as we work toward a safer and healthier Mount Vernon community.”
Third Street Sewer Project
The Third Street project consists of a new underground pumping station, approximately 400 linear feet of sewer piping on West Third Street, and an emergency generator. The project provides reliable wastewater service and enhanced quality of life for thousands of Mount Vernon residents impacted by broken and long-neglected sewer infrastructure lines. Following an accelerated planning and design process, the completed work will mitigate flooding and sewage backups that have long plagued the area. The project ensures reliable wastewater service for nearby residents who prior to these improvements were served by temporary pumps and a makeshift system staged in the middle of Third Street. Additional infrastructure improvements across the city are planned to advance in phases over five to seven years, prioritizing the city’s most critical infrastructure needs.
Mount Vernon Healthy Homes Initiative
Construction is completed on 24 low-to-moderate income households participating in the Mount Vernon Healthy Homes pilot program. The $3 million program, administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal's Office of Resilient Homes and Communities (RHC), is in addition to the state's $150 million investment, installing residential sewer-related improvements in neighborhoods at high-risk for wastewater backflow. The recently completed pilot targeted the most frequently impacted and highest risk properties in the area. It helps New York fulfill its goal to build resilient homes that adapt to a changing climate while prioritizing communities that were neglected in the past.
Approved homes received the following improvements:
- New sanitary sewer backflow prevention devices;
- Wastewater drainage improvements;
- New whole house water filtration systems;
- Replacement of up to two low-flow toilets;
- Cleanup and remediation after damage or mold from wastewater flooding; and
- Other environmental remediation of hazards such as lead paint or asbestos.
Ongoing System-Wide Repairs
Projects began immediately in 2023, using $5 million from CWIA grants to fund 33 priority projects to repair nearly 200 miles of storm and sanitary sewers. In addition, $10 million from DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program was invested to implement the comprehensive assessment, remedial design, and full repair of the sewer collection lines that discharge raw sewage to the Hutchinson River. To date, 40 miles of sewer cleaning and 10 miles of sewer repairs have reduced sewer backups in the city by 90 percent.
EFC dedicated an additional $2 million for administrative services including engineering consultant services to accelerate the work. Mount Vernon and DEC are also undertaking a $1 million asset management program to take inventory, assess, and track the city's water infrastructure and help create a plan to fund and maintain Mount Vernon's water quality infrastructure over the long-term. Additionally, a project to reconstruct a pump station on Edison Avenue is moving forward.
Green Infrastructure Project to Manage Stormwater and Revitalize the Fourth Street Park
In addition to the state’s $150 million investment, EFC awarded the city a $3 million grant through the Green Innovation Grant Program. Creative green infrastructure practices including bioretention, rain gardens, and porous pavement will alleviate flooding at the Fourth Street Park and improve the water quality of the Hutchinson River, while revitalizing and beautifying the community’s recreational space.
Lead Service Line Replacement
DOH is actively working with the Mount Vernon Board of Water Supply (MVBWS) on their lead service line inventory project. The initial $1 million grant financing agreement with EFC was approved by Mount Vernon on Sept. 14, 2022, with an additional $1 million grant approved on August 15, 2024. MVBWS began their inventory efforts by reviewing their archive of more than 12,500 water accounts. Of the approximately 12,000 service line records reviewed to date, approximately 7,800 indicate the presence of lead. In addition to the full archive review, MVBWS launched community engagement efforts in April 2024 with public information mailings and the creation of a lead service line program website, as coordination with the public on this initiative is crucial to its long-term success.
New York's Commitment to Water Quality
New York State continues to increase its nation-leading investments in water infrastructure, including more than $2.2 billion in financial assistance from EFC for local water infrastructure projects in State Fiscal Year 2024 alone. With an additional $500 million proposed for clean water infrastructure in the FY26 Executive Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a record $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017.
