CELORON – Chautauqua County has secured a $24.2 million grant from New York State to support Phase 2 of the South Central Chautauqua Lake District Expansion Project.

The funding, which includes a portion of Federal Infrastructure Act funding, will complete municipal sewer service along the west shore of Chautauqua Lake, benefiting nearly 900 homes and businesses and divert $60 million of gallons of wastewater each year to South Central Wastewater Treatment. Factory in Céloron.

In September, the Chautauqua Lake South and Central Sewer District approved a $16.9 million bid from JD Northrup Construction Inc. to expand the Stow Sewer District to Prendergast Creek, located on the south side of the Chautauqua establishment. The expansion represents an important step in the county’s efforts to protect the lake’s ecology and protect local water wells from contamination.

“This expansion represents a significant investment in protecting the Chautauqua Lake watershed,” said Thomas Walsh, director of the Chautauqua Lake South and Central Sewer District. “By replacing outdated septic systems with advanced infrastructure, we are taking a crucial step to preserve water quality and protect the environment for future generations. »

As part of the project, crews will replace outdated septic systems with advanced pumping stations and install an extensive network of pipes to efficiently transport wastewater to the Celoron treatment facility. This modernization is expected to reduce the environmental impact on the Chautauqua Lake watershed, ensuring the long-term health of this vital natural resource.

“While most people may never see the physical footprint of this expansion since it is underground, it is one of the most vital projects for our county,” said County Executive, PJ Wendel. “This effort will preserve public health for generations to come. I look forward to the grand opening and extend my sincere thanks to everyone whose dedication and hard work has brought us to this point.

Walsh previously told county lawmakers that the district had studied wastewater discharges extensively. He said the average home releases 200 gallons a day. Each year, that’s more than 70,000 gallons. There are 1,200 homes on Chautauqua Lake that use septic systems discharging 90 million gallons of wastewater directly into the Chautauqua Lake watershed.

County lawmakers are also considering another expansion of sewer service, this time on the east side of the lake, from Midway State Park in Ellery to Galloway Road in the town of Chautauqua. The county approved spending $40,000 in American Rescue Plan Act money for a study to start the process.