Tannersville Awarded $1.2M for Critical Dam Improvements

TANNERSVILLE―The Village of Tannersville has been awarded $1.2 million in state funding for improvements to the earthen dam for Reservoir No. 3, the Village’s primary drinking water supply.

Mayor Dr. Lee McGunnigle said the grant enables the Village to make critical upgrades to the reservoir dam that was built around 1958.

Those upgrades, he explained, are mandated by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and “include replacement of the reservoir spillway and enhancement of the dam’s earthen embankment which has slowly deteriorated over the 68 years because of severe tropical storms.”

“Without this funding, this project would have been a devastating fiscal crisis to our community. This project is the final piece for ensuring availability of a pristine water supply for our residents and businesses in the greater Tannersville community,” McGunnigle said.

“Broadly speaking, this also protects the headwaters of the New York City Watershed,” he added.

McGunnigle said that he is grateful for the partnership between the State and Village to accomplish vital infrastructure projects. He also thanked Jason Preisner of Lamont Engineers “for his professionalism and dedication to the Village of Tannersville and neighboring communities.”  

“I want to sincerely thank Governor Hochul and her team for their continued commitment to rural communities by funding projects that have positive generational impacts on protecting the health and welfare of our constituents,” McGunnigle said.

The funding is part of $208  million that was awarded statewide to 131  projects through DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program.  WQIP grants support projects that directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency or protect a drinking water source.

“These grants continue our critical investments to update aging water infrastructure across the state,” said Hochul.

“They will also help our local governments enhance resiliency against flooding caused by severe weather, again demonstrating our commitment to a safe, affordable, and sustainable future for all New Yorkers,” she added.