The Village of Sharon Springs is on the receiving end of a $1.25 million grant for water and sewer work along Chestnut Street and Beechwood Road.
The Community Development Block Grant is part of more than $20 million awarded for community development projects across New York State.
There’s no local match.
“We’re very excited to get another award for more water and sewer infrastructure upgrades,” said Mayor Doug Plummer.
According to Deputy Mayor Denise Kelly, the maximum award without co-funding is $1 million.
But because the village had already received a grant from DEC for water infrastructure, that made them eligible for the $1.25 million.
Specifically, the grant will be used to replace 3,500 feet of existing, heavily-corroded and undersized water main on Chestnut Street.
Additionally, Deputy Mayor Kelly said, some of the main was run alongside sewer lines and in manholes—a practice allowed in the past, but no longer because of possible cross-contamination.
Those sewer lines will be addressed as the water lines are replaced.
On Beechwood Road, the project will replace a series of long, small service lines and add up to 4,500 feet of new water main.
The added water lines will allow additional residents to connect and provide more capacity for current users.
It will also increase water pressure at the firehouse and town highway garage on Beechwood and boost supply and water quality at the Spring Meadows senior housing on Chestnut.
The village has just closed out three other CDBG-funded projects for water and sewer work and to take down the Empire Hotel—something that made them good candidates for the 2020 grant; the ’20 awards were delayed because of COVID.
“I think it all helped,” Deputy Mayor Kelly said. “The state has very high expectations—as they should—with administering these grants and we’ve shown that we can meet them.
“As a small village, we’re very grateful for the help they’ve given us. They want you to succeed.”
The grant will allow the village to make the water and sewer improvements without increasing taxes or user fees, especially important in a village Sharon Springs’ size.
“It’s a very big deal,” Deputy Mayor Kelly said.