BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – More than 300 mayors across the state are calling for funding to support municipal water and sewer systems before the budget is finalized..

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham visited construction crews on the corner of Glenwood and Belknap Avenues this morning.

Kraham is one of the 311 mayors to sign a letter from the New York Conference of Mayors that is calling for the dedicated water systems funding.

Kraham says that the funding would help local governments better plan for and coordinate capital projects.

He says that currently, the state provides a variety of grant programs through the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, but that money is generally not readily available.

Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham says, “I joined a bi-partisan coalition of more than 300 mayors, as part of the New York Conference of Mayors to call for this funding. We are united behind it, and if you ask any mayor of any municipality, infrastructure, water and sewer lines are some of the most expensive projects that we take on, and we need to have this funding stream coming from the state.”

Kraham urges lawmakers and Governor Hochul to support the proposed Safe Water Infrastructure Action Program that is pending in Albany.

He says that the New York State Senate has included SWAP in its one-house budget and with a $100 million allocation supporting the program.