North Salem to share in $5 million water grant

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - North Salem is among municipalities in Westchester and Putnam counties that are slated to share $5 million in state grants for critical water quality improvement projects.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, Jan. 15, by state Sen. Peter Harckham and state Assembly members Chris Burdick, Dana Levenberg, and Matt Slater.

The funding is part of a broader $225 million initiative released by Gov. Kathy Hochul through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program.

These grants are aimed at enhancing drinking water quality, protecting vital natural habitats, and bolstering resilience against flooding and climate change.

Besides North Salem, other grantees include the towns of Kent and Southeast in Putnam, and New Castle and Peekskill in Westchester.

Thanking Harckham for his “support and help” in getting the grant, North Salem Supervisor Warren Lucas said the town is going to use its $73,970 for two “live edge” snowplows and four new 3,000-gallon salt brine tanks.

Those types of plows have spring-loaded edges that more independently to follow the curve of the road or other pavement. This allows for more efficient plowing and cleaner surfaces.

Brining involves applying a mixture of salt and water to roads before a winter storm. This lowers the freezing point of water and ensures that ice and snow don’t stick to the road.

Another advantage of brining is that it starts to work immediately, unlike rock salt that needs to absorb moisture from the air or snow first.

This makes it easier to plow after a storm.

It also reduces the amount of salt needed to cover an area.

“Did you ever think about where all the road salt goes?” Lucas asked after the grant announcement. “Protecting our lakes and aquifers from excessive road salt is important to the health of our citizens and our wildlife.”

He pointed out that the town’s Highway Department has already reduced salt usage by 40 percent over the past six years and is continuing to “push the limits by using new technologies to provide safe clean roads by using less salt.”

The grant “will help us provide a safer and cleaner environment for everyone,” Lucas added.

“Clean drinking water and pristine waterways are fundamental to thriving communities,” said Senator Harckham. “The funding for these projects is vital for public health, economic growth and environmental sustainability. I applaud Governor Hochul in releasing this funding and investing in our communities and thank my colleagues in the legislature for their work in appropriating this crucial funding.”

Harckham (D-Lewisboro) chairs the state Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee. He represents the 40th Senate District, which includes the towns of Carmel, Kent, Patterson and Southeast, and the village of Brewster in Putnam County; the town of Stony Point in Rockland County; and the city of Peekskill, the towns of Bedford, Cortlandt, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Salem, Somers and Yorktown, the towns/villages of Mount Kisco and Ossining, and the villages of Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan and Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County.

“Clean drinking water and pristine waterways are fundamental to thriving communities,” he said, emphasizing that funding for such projects “is vital for public health, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.”

He thanked Gov. Kathy Hochul for “investing in our communities” by releasing the money and his colleagues in Albany “for their work in appropriating this critical funding.”

“Clean water is one of our most fundamental needs, and yet one of the biggest barriers to our ability to have healthy water supplies is funding,” said Burdick (D-Bedford). “My colleagues and I have worked hard at the state level to provide more funding for water infrastructure grants.”

He added that he was “pleased to see that New Castle and North Salem are able to fund projects and equipment that will make a big impact on their communities” and proposed that he will “continue to fight for more funding for these vital projects.”

Burdick represents the 93rd Assembly District, which includes the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge and approximately half of the city of White Plains.

“Ensuring the safety and sustainability of our water infrastructure is vital for the health and well-being of our communities,” said Slater (R-C-Yorktown). He represents the 94th Assembly District, which includes Kent, Patterson, Putnam Valley, Carmel, Southeast, Somers, and Yorktown, as well as the village of Brewster.

“By investing in our water quality through the DEC’s WQIP program, we are preserving one of our most precious resources for future generations,” he added.

Kent got $2.5 million for the repair and rehabilitation of Lake Carmel Dam, which is classified as a “high hazard” structure. It wil be used to strengthen the earthen embankment, fix the spillway, and install a new filtration and drainage system to enhance water quality. It will also receive fund to upgrade its road salt storage facility.

The towns of Southeast and New Castle have each been awarded $325,000 for the purchase of new vacuum trucks to efficiently clean catch basins and remove debris in order to improve overall water quality management.

In a collaborative effort to safeguard local water quality, municipalities and nonprofits are also working to protect local wetlands that naturally filter pollutants and stormwater runoff.

The Westchester Land Trust and Peekskill have each been awarded grants to acquire land in the region.

The Westchester Land Trust will receive $1.6 million to acquire 200 acres of land Southeast to protect part of New York City’s drinking water source, while Peekskill will get $140,000 for the purchase of 80 acres near the Wiccopee Reservoir.

Levenberg (D-Ossining) represents Assembly District 95, which includes Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Ossining, Peekskill, Buchanan, Philipstown, Cold Spring, and a majority of Briarcliff Manor.

“Enhancing our municipalities’ ability to deliver clean water to our residents and local businesses is of paramount importance,” she said, applauding municipal leaders and their water departments for winning WQIP funding by “identifying proactive actions” necessary to protect water sources.

She also thanked Hochul and the DEC “for their continued support of the water quality needs in my district.”