Despite Objections by Environmental Advocates, Red Hook Seeks $10 Million Grant for Sewer and Wastewater Plant Expansion

The Village of Red Hook is moving forward with the next phase of its long-term effort to replace backyard septic systems, improve water quality, and expand its sewer, applying for $10 million in state funding to add sewer service to 170 additional properties, including the planned RUPCO affordable housing project due north at Cookingham East.

The proposed project, considered Phase 2 of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and sewer system upgrade, is part of a multi-year plan to protect drinking water supplies and support future housing and business growth in the village, Mayor Karen Smythe told The Daily Catch. It will quadruple the capacity of the wastewater plant from 75,000 gallons per day to 300,000 gallons per day.

But the co-leaders of the Saw Kill Tributary Coalition reiterated Tuesday, in the face of the Village Board vote to move forward with a grant application, that they disagree with the expansion and the plan to submit the grant, arguing that a decentralized system is more fiscally responsible and preferred for water protection and conservation in rural communities. 

“We vehemently oppose this expansion plan. It’s irresponsible to pursue aggressive growth at this site while major concerns remain unresolved — including a year of WWTP failures possibly contaminating the aquifer just 10 feet below, polluting the local environment, worsening stormwater and erosion, and a documented history of arsenic and lead contamination,” said Zoe Evans and Cat Viega of the Saw Kill Tributary Coalition in a statement to The Daily Catch. “Moving forward without addressing the risks to drinking water, property flooding, and the Saw Kill watershed disregards community input, environmental oversight, and scientific guidance.”​​

One goal of the wastewater plant expansion is to provide municipal sewer for the entire Village or the majority of the Village when all phases are complete, Smythe added, noting that a Phase III would likely be added later. Smythe also took issue with the Coalition statement, arguing that remediation for the lead and arsenic issues was managed and approved by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in 2006. Also, she said, DEC noted in May 2025 no obvious stream disturbances and said that effluent flow from the wastewater plant does not warrant further action. 

The next phase of the sewer project relies on the existing wastewater treatment plant being in compliance with state regulations. After months of operational challenges, the plant is, as of July 15, in compliance with DEC regulations. “We are putting in place safeguards to ensure this situation never happens again,” Smythe said Tuesday. “The expansion project is based on operations in compliance with our permitted requirements.”

Phase 1 of the sewer project was completed in 2023, connecting 127 properties in the village’s core business district to the new municipal sewer system and increasing treatment capacity to 75,000 gallons per day. But many residential and commercial properties in surrounding neighborhoods still rely on outdated or failing septic systems, some using only seepage pits. Village officials say these systems pose an ongoing risk of contamination to the shallow aquifer that supplies Red Hook’s drinking water.

The proposed $19.5-million Phase 2 project would build a new 250,000-gallon-per-day treatment unit with advanced membrane filtration and UV disinfection, convert the older plant into a sludge holding tank, and extend sewer lines to homes, schools, and businesses, some of which currently lack safe wastewater disposal. If the Village wins the grant, it will be able to proceed with all steps of the project, including a further review of the location of the existing plant and the surrounding wetlands, Smythe said. 

There are no plans to move or decentralize the plant. And Smythe said it makes sense to apply for the grant now, even as discussion and debate over future plans continues. “Given the extended time it takes to apply and receive grants, rather than postpone any possible work for another year while we review and debate issues, I think it is more appropriate to continue on several fronts which will allow the Village to gather more information and keep all avenues open,” Smythe said Tuesday. 

While fixes are needed for the existing wastewater plant, the grant money the Village now seeks would not cover them, Smythe said. The current plant was out of compliance with its operating permit for months earlier this year.

If approved, the project would dramatically reduce nutrient and bacteria pollution flowing into groundwater and local streams, improve public health, and bring the system into compliance with state environmental regulations.

Smythe said securing the $10 million grant from New York State’s Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) is essential to keeping the sewer expansion project affordable for residents. Additional funding is expected from a state revolving loan program and other sources, Smythe said. 

“Expanding the sewer system is a critical project for the Village’s future,” she added. “It will allow us to protect the water supply and support important and needed housing development throughout the Village in the most affordable way.”

Preliminary engineering and environmental reviews for the project were completed earlier this year. If funding is awarded, which would likely be announced early in 2026, design work must be completed and approved. Then, a bid process will take place, followed by construction, Smythe said.

If the grant is not successful, the Village would be forced to scale back plans, Smythe added.

The post Despite Objections by Environmental Advocates, Red Hook Seeks $10 Million Grant for Sewer and Wastewater Plant Expansion first appeared on The Daily Catch.