Power Authority to Lease Land to Louisville for New Water Treatment Plant

Contact
Connie Cullen
(914)390-8196
cullen.c@nypa.gov

March 27, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALBANY—New York Power Authority trustees Tuesday voted to lease land to the Town of Louisville for construction of a new water treatment plant. The new plant will provide clean drinking water to town residents who have been on a "boil water" notice since early 1999 and must use bottled drinking water. The term of the lease is 25 years, with the token annual lease payment of $1 waived.

"Clean drinking water should be the right of every New Yorker and Governor George E. Pataki’s responsiveness to this great need by the families of Louisville, is shown today by making Power Authority land available for this worthy project," said Joseph J. Seymour, chairman and chief executive officer, of the New York Power Authority.

The existing Tucker Terrace Water System is located on about 2 acres of the 202 acres of land currently under lease from the Power Authority to the Massena Country Club. The proposed plant will be constructed on the site, directly adjacent to the existing system, which will be demolished after the new plant is constructed.

In September 2000, the Massena Country Club approved the plant location paving the way for this new lease agreement. A lease amendment with the Massena Country Club will exclude the water treatment site from land the Club will continue to lease from NYPA.

Additionally, the Power Authority has received endorsements from the applicable federal and state agencies, as mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), indicating no objections to granting permission to the town to construct the water treatment plant.

The town will pay for the project with funds from the New York State Department of Health and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund & Rural Development. Contracts for construction are expected to be awarded by July 2001. Construction is expected to begin about August 2001 and completed by approximately July 2002.

The proposed system will provide water for an estimated 320 residences and several small commercial properties. The Massena Country Club and the Massena Town Beach, both on lands owned by the Power Authority, will also receive potable water from the new system.