Washington, DC - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, of which he is a member, has approved his funding request and allocated $800,000 for the Village of Saugerties to improve and replace parts of its aging wastewater lines.  The funds were included in the Interior appropriations bill for fiscal year 2010, which is expected to be taken up by the full House Appropriations Committee next week.

"These federal funds will pay for much-needed upgrades and improvements to the Village of Saugerties' wastewater system that will contribute to local economic growth and an improved wastewater service for residents," Hinchey said. "Additionally, these federal funds relieve local taxpayers from much of the cost associated with the project."

The funds will support engineering and the phased improvement and replacement of wastewater collection lines in the village, which are more than 100 years old and have been experiencing leaks and breaks. The project is central to the village’s commercial future, providing adequate wastewater service to more than 30 retail businesses, supporting vitally needed economic development.

The Village of Saugerties Sewer Department has identified three areas within the sanitary sewage collection system that are in need of rehabilitation or replacement: a portion of the original system runs under Route 9W from Barley Street south to Overbaugh Street; a second portion of the sanitary system on Route 9W or Partition Street (Main Street to bridge) is in the center of the business district of the Village of Saugerties; and a third major portion of the original system that needs repair extends from Myers Lane to West Bridge Street thru easements.

The village intends to utilize the cured in place pipe (CIPP) method of rehabilitating the wastewater lines. Under this procedure, the sewers are jet cleaned, televised and have a cured in place liner installed within the sewer main. All work, except major repairs, is accomplished without excavation, through existing manholes. This method of rehabilitating sewers is very cost effective and much less disruptive then replacing sewers by previously used methods.

The project is critical to the village’s commercial future, providing adequate wastewater service to more than 30 retail businesses and creating, for the four-year construction period, 20 full time construction jobs.