An estimated $2.5 million in grants were announced Friday for the village of Saranac Lake and the town of North Elba for municipal water infrastructure projects through Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act and Intermunicipal Grant programs.

The two monies come as pieces of a larger $24.6 million fund to support water infrastructure in the North Country.

“It’s critical that we ensure our drinking water is free of contaminants and safe for all New Yorkers,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul in a press release. “This investment in grants for infrastructure improvements in the North Country will address needs to enhance and protect water quality, and also help to create more than 1,000 jobs in the area.”

An estimated $1,327,560 was awarded to North Elba for Ray Brook water distribution improvements. The total cost of the project is estimated at $2,212,600.

Saranac Lake’s award was estimated at $1,206,226 for a waste water treatment plant disinfection project. The project in total is estimated to cost $4,824,905.

“Investing in our state’s water infrastructure is critical to regional growth and prosperity and maintaining safe, healthy communities,” Cuomo said in a press release. “By improving our water infrastructure, we are protecting our natural resources, laying the groundwork for future prosperity and helping to create a stronger, healthier, New York for all.”

Cuomo’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 dedicated $2.5 billion for water quality projects across the state. The grants to the North Country were a part of $270 million awarded statewide, with $19 million to support projects to combating cyanotoxins, created by harmful algal blooms. Previous awards for $15 million have addressed other toxins in New York water like perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid and 1,4 dioxane.

To date, $750 million in state grant funding $750 million supports approximately $2.65 billion in water distribution and wastewater infrastructure projects statewide. These projects are projected to support more than 47,000 jobs.