Looking at https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-more-265-million-water-quality-and-climate-resiliency-projects, compare this with the previous year’s and evaluate how we’re doing in water quality in the state.
Here is a comparative evaluation of New York State’s water quality and resiliency investment efforts based on the January 15, 2026 press announcement you cited from the Governor’s website and available information from the previous year’s (Late 2024 / early 2025) water quality announcements:
1. Current (January 2026) Water Quality & Climate Resiliency Investments
Key features of the January 15, 2026 announcement:
- Total Funding Announced: More than $265 million in grants to support water quality and resiliency projects statewide. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Water Quality Improvement Grants: ~$211 million awarded to 175 projects aimed at protecting drinking water, updating aging infrastructure, reducing contributors to harmful algal blooms, and similar water quality outcomes. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Climate Resiliency Grants: ~$55 million in Resilient Watersheds Grants for 24 projects focused on flood mitigation and watershed resilience (dam removals, stream restoration, culvert replacement, etc.). (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Targeted Outcomes: Protection of drinking water sources, flood and climate resiliency enhancements, reduced pollutant loads into water bodies, improved habitat and watershed function. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Integration with Larger Strategy: These investments are positioned as part of Governor Hochul’s broader State of the State water infrastructure agenda, including a proposed $3.75 billion multi-year commitment to water system modernization and clean water programs. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Implication: The 2026 announcement reflects a continuation and refinement of prior commitments, with an emphasis on both water quality and climate resiliency, rather than solely infrastructure.
2. Prior (Late 2024 / Early 2025) Water Quality & Infrastructure Funding
Comparative reference announcements:
- December 23, 2024: Governor Hochul awarded more than $225 million to water quality protection projects, funding 165 projects across the state with a heavy focus on drinking water protection, infrastructure upgrades, harmful algal bloom reduction, and significant support for environmental justice communities. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- $197 million was directed specifically to projects benefiting environmental justice communities. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 Water Infrastructure Report (Dec 30, 2025): New York’s investment in water infrastructure totaled $3.8 billion during SFY 2025, with $1.1 billion delivered in targeted clean water grants. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- This highlights a much larger pool of funding driving water quality and infrastructure outcomes over a full fiscal year, beyond the individual project package described in Jan 2026.
- Record Financial Assistance: In 2025 and into 2026, the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) reported more than $3.4 billion in executed financial assistance agreements for local water projects across the state, marking a strong year-to-year increase in project support. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Trend Observations from Previous Year:
- The 2024 awards focused significantly on expanding water quality projects and ensuring equity (environmental justice emphasis). (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Total infrastructure support in 2025 was historically high, including major capital and grant funding (on the order of billions). (Governor Kathy Hochul)
3. Comparative Evaluation — How New York Is Doing on Water Quality
a. Scale of Investment
- While the $265 million announced in January 2026 may seem comparable in magnitude to the $225+ million announced in December 2024, both are specific grant packages, not the full accounting of total water system funding.
- When factoring in broader fiscal year investments (e.g., $3.8 billion in SFY 2025) and auxiliary financing programs (EFC loans and state revolving funds), New York has sustained and expanded its funding footprint compared with prior periods. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
b. Breadth & Focus
- 2024/early 2025 focus: Large emphasis on water quality protection, infrastructure upgrades, and environmental justice community support. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- 2026 announcement adds emphasis on climate resiliency—a shift to integrating water quality improvements with resilience to extreme weather, flooding mitigation, and watershed restoration. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
c. Strategic Direction
- Newer announcements integrate infrastructure upgrades with broader climate adaptation strategies, signaling a shift toward multifunctional water investments that address water quality, climate risk, and social equity simultaneously. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
- The ongoing commitment to multi-year funding (e.g., State of the State proposals) reflects a longer-term strategic posture, not just annual grant outputs. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
d. Overall Progress
- Funding is increasing both in absolute terms and strategic complexity, indicating that New York is maintaining (and in some dimensions expanding) its commitment to water quality outcomes.
- The evolution from pure infrastructure grants toward integrated water quality and climate resiliency goalssuggests an increasing sophistication in environmental investment planning.
4. Summary
Strengths:
- Sustained high levels of investment in water quality and infrastructure.
- Increasingly integrated approach with climate resiliency considerations.
- Continued support for environmental justice and disadvantaged communities.
Continuity & Change:
- Dollar amounts for individual project packages in 2026 are similar to late 2024’s water quality awards but are part of a broader, larger multi-billion funding environment.
- Shifts toward combining water quality with watershed resilience and flood risk mitigation reflect a maturation of statewide strategy.
Conclusion:
New York State is performing strongly in terms of water quality investment and strategic direction. The state continues to deliver record-level financial support, expanding from core infrastructure upgrades toward holistic water quality and climate resiliency frameworks. This evolution suggests progress not only in funding volume but in aligning water management with broader environmental and climate goals. (Governor Kathy Hochul)