West Haven to receive $10 million FEMA grant for floodwall construction
WEST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The city of West Haven was awarded a $10 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to construct a flood wall to protect the city's wastewater treatment plant, the mayor announced on Thursday.
The grant will fund the design and construction of a floodwall at the West Haven wastewater treatment plant and the wastewater pumping station on Blohm Street.
The plant, located near the shoreline, has experienced flooding in severe weather and suffered damage to equipment. The city says it takes thousands of dollars to repair.
Tractor-trailer rollover closes Exit 43 offramp on I-95 South in West Haven
The city is currently working with an engineering firm to complete the design and permitting process. Construction is projected to begin in mid-to-late 2026 following a community engagement roundtable this summer.
A 25% cost match will be included in the FEMA grant, which the city says is in the 2024 budget cycle.
'This critically important FEMA grant will protect our wastewater treatment plant against flooding and rising seas,' West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer said. 'If the sewer plant is negatively impacted by significant flooding causing a compromise of the infrastructure, it could create a devastating impact across the city and Long Island Sound, and that is why everyone has worked collaboratively to bring this to fruition.'
The funding will be awarded as a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities subgrant through the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
'I'm grateful for every state and federal agency that stepped up to help West Haven, including the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,' Borer said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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