BUFFALO, NY – Today, Mayor Bryon W. Brown and the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off the first of three phases of the Bird Island Treatment Facility Secondary System Rehabilitation and Upgrades project.
“Ensuring our city’s infrastructure is keeping pace with development and is important to the success of our community’s continued growth – the $55 million Secondary Treatment System Rehabilitation Project at the Buffalo Sewer Authority’s Bird Island Treatment Facility is a major piece of that. I thank the multiple local, state, and federal leaders who were instrumental in getting this project off the ground,” said Mayor Brown. “Upgrading this facility is another example of my Administration’s longstanding commitment to rebuild for an even stronger, healthier, and more sustainable Buffalo.”
This $55.85 million project is funded through a variety of federal and state loan and grant programs including the Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program, the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant, and the Water Quality Improvement Project grant.
“This project is an investment in local waterways by BSA to reduce combined sewer overflows in the City of Buffalo and surrounding communities. These once-in-a-lifetime retrofits and upgrades to Buffalo’s historic treatment facility will also ensure the continued operation of this community resource,” shared Oluwole A. McFoy, P.E., General Manager, Buffalo Sewer Authority.
Special guests and speakers included Radhika Fox, Assistant Administrator, Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Congressman Brian Higgins; Lisa Garcia from Region 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Maureen Coleman, CEO, New York Environmental Facilities Corporation; State Senator Tim Kennedy; Jim Tierney, Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources at the NYS DEC; Mami Hara, CEO, U.S. Water Alliance; and Khristopher Dodson, New York Water Environment Association.
To learn more about this and BSA’s ongoing efforts at Bird Island Treatment Facility, visit www.buffalosewer.org