New Windsor has been awarded up to $50,000 in state funding to investigate groundwater and stormwater entering its sewer system.

The funding, awarded through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Wastewater Infrastructure Engineering Planning Grant program, will support a preliminary inflow and infiltration study. The Town Board acknowledged the award at its Oct. 7 meeting.

Inflow and infiltration occur when groundwater or stormwater enters sewer pipes through cracks, leaks or other openings, increasing the amount of water that must be transported and treated.

The grant will allow the town to further investigate the issue as it works to address problems within its wastewater system. According to the Sept. 21 award letter, the town must enter into a grant agreement by Sept. 30, 2027, to remain eligible for the funding.

The board also received a Sept. 8 letter from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation approving an engineering implementation schedule report related to the town’s inflow and infiltration management program under an existing consent order.