CONGRESSMAN WALSH ANNOUNCES FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NEW WATER SYSTEM IN JAMESVILLE-TOWN OF LAFAYETTE
New District to Receive $481,100 EPA Grant, $1,392,000 USDA Loan for Construction

Press Event Friday, August 25th at 11:00 a.m. at Jamesville Beach

(LaFayette, New York)- Congressman Jim Walsh today announced that he has secured a $481,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist in the construction of a new water district in the hamlet of Jamesville in the Town of LaFayette.  The EPA grant will reduce the potentially high costs area residents will have to pay for the new water district.

In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development recently approved a low interest loan in the amount of $1,392,000 for the project.

Congressman Walsh, along with LaFayette Supervisor Greg Scammell, Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland, and USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Scott Collins will hold a press conference announcing the funding on Friday, August 25th at 11:00 a.m. at Jamesville Beach, Apulia Road in Jamesville.

"Water is one of our area's most precious resources," said Congressman Walsh. "I'm pleased that through our combined efforts with the USDA and Onondaga County the residents of LaFayette will have affordable, quality drinking water made available."

"In early 2005, when I learned that the residents of LaFayette were being forced to find alternate water sources, I contacted Congressman Walsh's office. The Congressman and his staff worked closely with residents and local government to secure funding from various sources including Rural Development and Community Development," said Onondaga County Legislature Chair Dale Sweetland. "Although this was a great first step, the financial burden on the residents remained substantial. Through Congressman Walsh's continued efforts, the additional money that he secured will greatly ease the financial burden.  I applaud the Congressman and his staff for their efforts and am pleased that we will finally be able to provide LaFayette residents with water at an affordable price."

Currently, residents in this section of LaFayette rely upon a gravity-fed water system that is over 100 years old, and low water pressure has forced many residents to install individual water pumps. The lack of pressure has also made it impossible to utilize fire hydrants. This system was part of a water supply line owned and operated by East Syracuse, but the village decided to stop supplying water to customers outside the village limits rather than spend more than $500,000 to meet stricter environmental requirements, leaving LaFayette residents with only a few expensive options to receive water. The new water district will serve over 100 households and Onondaga County's Jamesville Beach Park.  It will include 19,500 feet of water main and 28 fire hydrants.

"The water supply of the people in northeastern LaFayette was under threat of disconnection," said LaFayette Supervisor Greg Scammell. "Congressman Jim Walsh was of immense help in making their new replacement water district affordable for their families."

"USDA Rural Development is pleased to be able to support LaFayette's new water district," said Scott Collins, Acting State Director of Rural Development in New York. "The new district will improve water quality and water pressure for more than 100 residents. I thank Congressman Jim Walsh for his support of this and other Rural Development projects in the district."

Recently, similar water systems were made possible by the efforts of Congressman Walsh and USDA Rural Development in the Towns of Rose and Wolcott in Wayne County.

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