Village of Webster Completes $16M Wastewater Plant Upgrade

The Village of Webster has completed a $16 million upgrade of its wastewater treatment plant, a facility first built in 1934, with most of the cost covered by interest-free state financing and a grant, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on October 14 Governor of New York.

What Happened

Village and state officials held a ribbon cutting at the plant on Webster Road on October 14 13WHAM. Construction began in summer 2024 after several years of planning Governor of New York. WXXI News described the work as a two-year project WXXI News.

The project upgraded major components, replaced aging equipment, improved treatment processes and strengthened the plant's overall reliability, while adding capacity for the community's changing needs Governor of New York. WXXI reported that the changes are meant to help the nearly 100-year-old plant meet state discharge requirements WXXI News. The state did not give numeric capacity figures, and none of the sources named the design engineer or contractors.

How It Was Paid For

The New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) provided $14.5 million in interest-free financing and a $1.4 million grant through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Governor of New York. The state projects that the financing will save the village more than $16 million in debt service compared with traditional borrowing 13WHAM. FingerLakes1.com noted that the savings figure is a projection over the life of the financing, not a direct payment FingerLakes1.com.

Before construction, EFC also funded the village's engineering report through a Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant Governor of New York. That planning grant step is often what allows small municipalities to get a project defined well enough to compete for construction funding.

Why It Matters for Lake Ontario

State officials expect the upgrade to improve water quality in Lake Ontario's Rochester Embayment Governor of New York, the recessed area of the lake between Parma and Webster WXXI News. "This investment gives the Village a modernized wastewater treatment facility," said Village of Webster Mayor Darrell Byerts Governor of New York. Jake Finley, the village's superintendent of public works, told 13WHAM that meeting the plant's requirements means "we're doing our job and protecting our environment and health and safety" 13WHAM.

The Town Project Next Door

The village plant is only part of Webster's sewer investment. WXXI reported that the Town of Webster is finishing a state-assisted $87 million upgrade of its own, a project that was scaled up significantly when the fairlife milk processing facility was added WXXI News. Together, the town and village have spent more than $100 million WXXI News. We covered the broader buildout of utilities around Webster's industrial sites in an earlier post.

The Statewide Picture

The state says it has committed $10.6 billion to clean water infrastructure since 2021, and the enacted 2027 state budget includes a $3.75 billion water infrastructure plan Governor of New York. The Governor's quoted remarks referred to $10 billion, a small inconsistency within the release. EFC is also accepting applications for $45 million in Green Resiliency Grants and offers one-on-one consultations through its Community Assistance Teams FingerLakes1.com.

Implications for Owners, Developers, Contractors and Subs

• Utility capacity is economic development. The town's $87 million upgrade grew because of a single large food processor. Industrial owners looking at Monroe County sites should confirm sewer capacity and discharge limits early, because they can drive both schedule and cost.
• State money keeps flowing to water work. With a $3.75 billion plan in the current budget, more municipal treatment plant, pump station and collection projects should reach bid across Upstate New York. Contractors and subs with process mechanical, electrical, controls and concrete experience will see continued opportunities.
• Small municipalities can move large projects. Webster shows how a village can pair a planning grant with interest-free financing to rebuild an aging plant. Other communities with similar facilities are likely to follow the same path.

What to Watch

• Completion of the Town of Webster's $87 million upgrade.
• Awards from EFC's $45 million Green Resiliency Grant round.
• New Clean Water State Revolving Fund financings for Finger Lakes municipalities under the 2027 budget plan.

Bottom Line

Webster's village plant has been rebuilt for its next generation of service at little borrowing cost to local ratepayers, and the town's larger project is close behind. Together they add up to more than $100 million in water infrastructure that supports both Lake Ontario water quality and the area's industrial growth.

Image credit: Office of the Governor of New York, ribbon cutting at the Village of Webster wastewater treatment plant. Image from the source article.

Sources

• Governor of New York, "Governor Hochul Announces the Completion of the Village of Webster's $16 Million Clean Water Project": https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-completion-village-websters-16-million-clean-water-project
• WXXI News, "Multi-million-dollar wastewater projects wrapping up in Webster": https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2026-10-14/multi-million-dollar-wastewater-projects-wrapping-up-in-webster
• 13WHAM, "Webster completes $16M upgrade to wastewater plant built in 1934": https://13wham.com/news/local/webster-completes-16m-upgrade-to-wastewater-plant-built-in-1934
• FingerLakes1.com, "Webster completes $16 million wastewater plant upgrade": https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2026/10/15/webster-completes-16-million-wastewater-plant-upgrade/