Town of Warwick Awarded Historic $8 Million State Grant for Wickham Wastewater Treatment Plant
WARWICK, NY — Town of Warwick Supervisor Jesse Dwyer announced today that the Town of Warwick has been awarded an $8 million grant from New York State for the complete reconstruction of the Wickham Wastewater Treatment Plant. The funding was awarded through the State’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) program.
The $8 million award represents the maximum grant amount available to a town under the program and is the largest single grant ever received in the history of the Town of Warwick.
“Infrastructure projects of this scale can overwhelm local residents if towns are forced to rely solely on ratepayer costs,” said Supervisor Jesse Dwyer. “This grant ensures that a critically needed sewer plant replacement can move forward without placing an unbearable financial burden on the residents andfamilies who rely on this system.”
In addition to the $8 million grant, the Town also secured interest-free financing for the remaining project costs. That financing alone is projected to save local ratepayers more than $4 million over the life of the project, further reducing long-term sewer costs for residents.
The Wickham Wastewater Treatment Plant, originally constructed more than 40 years ago, has deteriorated to a point where continued investment in piecemeal repairs is no longer fiscally responsible. A complete rebuild is necessary to ensure reliable service, regulatory compliance, and long-term cost stability. Without grant funding and interest-free financing, sewer bills for residents in the district would have tripled.
The nearly $16 million project was highly competitive at the state level. Supervisor Dwyer credited the success of the application to the Town’s dedicated staff, engineering partners at Delaware Engineering, and the Town’s new grant writing firm, Millennium Strategies.
“This award was not guaranteed,” Dwyer said. “It took an extraordinary team effort and a strong, well-documented case showing why outside funding was essential.”
A critical component of the grant application involved close coordination with local residents in the affected area. The Town conducted a comprehensive income survey to demonstrate the financial hardship that would result if grant funding and interest-free financing were not secured. The Town thanked residents for their cooperation and participation, noting that their involvement was instrumental in achieving this outcome.
“Without this funding, residents would have been forced to absorb enormous costs for infrastructure they simply cannot afford on their own,” Dwyer said. “From day one, the Town Board and I made it clear that finding outside funding was not optional — it was essential.”
Securing grants instead of relying on property taxes or ratepayer increases has been a central priority of Supervisor Dwyer and the Warwick Town Board. Since taking office on January 1, 2024, Supervisor Dwyer has secured nearly $15 million in grant funding for critical infrastructure and community projects, including wastewater improvements, bridges, parks, senior services, law enforcement, local EMS, and land preservation — all in under two years as Town Supervisor.
“This is exactly how local government should work,” Dwyer added. “We pursue every available dollar so our residents don’t have to shoulder these costs alone, while still making the investments needed to protect public health and our community’s future.”
