GENESEO, N.Y., Aug. 23, 2022 — The Livingston County Board of Supervisors has authorized an Intermunicipal Agreement formalizing collaboration between the Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority (LCWSA) and the County to further develop the Leicester/York Regional Water Supply Expansion Project.
With the demand for potable water expected to grow across Livingston County over the next 30 years, the project, which would be one of the largest regional water sharing initiatives in New York State, will achieve the County’s interest in providing enhanced public drinking water infrastructure to the Towns of Leicester and York as well as supporting regional interests of providing greater access to affordable, safe drinking water for all participating municipalities. In addition, the project would significantly upgrade infrastructure including pipelines, pumping stations, treatment facilities and water towers throughout the County while also maximizing current water supplies and planning for future increases in demand.
"Managing and protecting water supplies for residents remains a priority for the County and all of our municipalities," said David LeFeber who serves as the Chair of the Board of Supervisors. "The Intermunicipal Agreement, authorized by the Board, represents an important step towards supporting and funding water system improvements needed for the communities impacted by the Retsof Salt Mine collapse."
To that effort, the Board of Supervisors has approved the Akzo Settlement Committee’s recommendations to use funding from the Akzo Nobel settlement for design and engineering work related to the improvement of public drinking water infrastructure in the Towns of Leicester and York. The County is also exploring numerous grant opportunities that would match these funds in an effort to leverage public dollars with available grant monies.
“This Intermunicipal Agreement represents an important step forward in the partnership with the Livingston County Water Sewer Authority to provide high quality and reliable water services for the residents of western Livingston County,” added York Town Supervisor, Gerald L. Deming.
David M. Fanaro, Supervisor for the Town of Leicester, also endorses the Board’s decision.
“Our goal is to increase the supply of affordable, clean water to our residents here in Livingston County. This regional water infrastructure project will advance those efforts,” he added.
In 1994, the Retsof Salt Mine collapsed, rendering an underground aquifer unusable for potable water allocation. As a result, a memorandum of understanding between Livingston County, Akzo Nobel, Inc., the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of the New York State Attorney General was established and funds were set aside to address environmental impacts.
To date, six villages and towns throughout the County including the Villages of Mount Morris, Leicester and Avon along with the Towns of York, Leicester and Avon have also signed intermunicipal agreements with LCWSA, further bolstering the support for a regional water project.
Learn more about the Leicester/York Regional Water Supply Project
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About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is comprised of more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.