Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies included Mannion's requests for funding to support a major water system project in the village of Elbridge and assist the village of Aurora with assuming operations of the former Wells College water plant.

The projects would each receive $1,092,000, according to released by the House Appropriations Committee, if the fiscal year 2026 spending bill is approved by Congress.

Mannion, D-Geddes, told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV in June that he requested the funds after receiving ideas from local governments.

"These were priorities that came out of those municipalities and we see them as a priority as well," he said. "I want to deliver for central New York. I want to make sure we get back our fair share, and I've got a long history of supporting infrastructure projects in my work in the state. I'm going to continue that because that's what this area needs and that's what the municipal leaders say that we need."

When Mannion submitted his community project requests, he asked for $3 million to support each project. But there is no guarantee that congressional appropriators will endorse the projects or award the full amount.

The water system improvement project in the village of Elbridge also includes the town of Elbridge and the village of Jordan. According to Mannion's letter to the subcommittee leaders, the federal funding would "address critical deficiencies in the joint water system, including frequent main breaks, undersized and aging water mains, low chlorine residuals and insufficient fire flow."

The project will enhance water quality, increase reliability and support adequate fire protection, Mannion wrote.

In a separate letter, Mannion detailed how the funding would support the village of Aurora's takeover of the water plant. The project includes "dramatic improvements to the aging water treatment facility that provides public water to the village." Those improvements include a new water intake pipe, filtration treatment system and storage tank.

Wells College owned and operated the water plant for more than 100 years. When the college closed in 2024, there were discussions about transferring the facility to the village.

The college agreed to allow the village to operate the plant last fall. The village submitted a purchase offer for the facility in April. The college intends to gift the plant to the village, but the village will pay a $10 fee to complete the transaction. 

The transfer of the water plant must be approved by the state attorney general's office.

Aurora is facing high costs associated with taking over the water plant. The village's water budget increased by 177%, from $118,100 to $327,600. Water rates increased to cover the additional expenses.

Although it's not the full amount they requested, Aurora Mayor Jim Orman said the funding "would be an outstanding shot in the arm."

Orman is unsure of any restrictions on the funding, but he is hopeful that the village could use it to offset the increased water rates.

"My primary concern right now is those costs are very high for this particular small tax base," Orman said.

The Aurora project is a new request, but this is the second year the Elbridge project has been part of the community project process. Mannion noted his predecessor, former U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, supported the project and sought federal funding. However, he said Congress failed to pass a full-year spending bill that funded community projects.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that these projects not only make it through the (House Appropriations Committee), but also that we get all the way over the line and that we get a full-year spending bill and the projects are funded," Mannion said.