Sep. 18—The Village of Wilson has solidified new plans for a sewer improvement project.

The village has submitted a proposal to New York state to reapply for a $4.81 million grant.

The two components of the new proposed project include relining and replacing sewer pipe linings throughout the village and undertaking a series of smaller upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant. Those includes upgrades to the UV disinfection and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems.

"Rather than reacting to high water flows, it'll help us prepare for them," trustee Greg Martin said.

Mayor Arthur Lawson said the state granted the village an extension of "a couple weeks" to get its new grant application approved.

In 2019, the village secured $4.6 million through the state's Lake Ontario Resiliency and Development Initiative, to cover most of the cost of outsourcing wastewater treatment to Newfane and shutting down its own treatment plant.

That pursuit ultimately was discontinued by the village board, in light of a $2 million increase in the cost while construction was delayed due to the Covid pandemic, and the fact that the village is still paying back a $1.6 million loan for previous upgrades to the treatment plant that would not have been forgiven by the state if the plant was demolished.

Lawson said the village is still on the hook for the $500,000 of REDI funding it spent on environmental studies at the treatment plant. A 10-year bond to repay it is under consideration, he said.