State awards north country $6.8M to improve water quality

ALBANY, New York (WWNY) - The tri-county region is getting nearly $6.8 million to improve water quality in the area.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday that $110 million worth of grants were awarded to 86 projects across the state.

The Thousand Islands Land Trust received more than $5.4 million to acquire land along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

The money will be used to buy and protect 678 acres of land in the towns of Cape Vincent, Lyme, Clayton and Lyme that are made up of coastal wetlands, grasslands, and forests.

The state says the acquisition will protest the water quality of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, both public drinking water sources.

The town of Hermon and the village of Copenhagen are getting more than $1.3 million to upgrade their wastewater treatment facilities.

Hermon received $718,400, while Copenhagen got $622,200.

Both municipalities will use the money to install ultraviolet disinfection equipment at their wastewater treatment plants.

The state says the equipment will improve the water quality by reducing pathogens in the treatment plants’ discharges.

Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.