Press Release From House Representative Antonio Delgado’s Office
THOMPSON, NY – Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) announced $10,912,000 in Rural Development grant and low-interest loan funding for water infrastructure improvements for the Town of Thompson, located in Sullivan County, NY. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utility Service Department and will be used for two key projects in the Harris and Melody Lake sewer districts. The first Rural Development investment will deliver $915,000 in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and $312,000 in loans to the Melody Lake Water District. The second project will deliver a direct loan of $4,000,000 and two grants totaling $5,685,000 for the Harris Sewer District.
“Investing in our water infrastructure is critical to ensuring every household in NY-19 has what they need to stay safe and healthy,” said Rep. Delgado. “This funding will benefit more than 15,500 upstate New Yorkers and will directly invest in Thompson’s water systems. I am proud to announce this funding and will keep fighting to update and improve infrastructure across our district.”
“To say we are grateful is an understatement. We would have been thrilled to receive a $1-2 million grant, but the USDA awarded our projects with nearly $7 million in grant funding – and about another $4 million in low-interest loans. Our grant application showed exactly how the funds would be used, and it’s clear that the USDA sees value in our plan to update our sewer and water infrastructure,” said Town of Thompson Supervisor Bill Rieber.
The project in the Melody Lake Water District will replace water mains, install a new hydro pneumatic tank, extend the casing on a well, and construct a new building with a flow meter. The project in the Harris Sewer District will replace three of the existing pump stations (Harris Pump Station, Old Route 17 Pump Station and Benmosche Pump Station) and add one additional pump station (Kaufman Road Pump Station).
Congressman Delgado has consistently fought for investments in rural infrastructure. He recently announced over $425 million in funding coming to the district for water infrastructure. He also voted to send the bipartisan infrastructure law to President Biden’s desk to repair and improve upstate infrastructure.