The villages of Potsdam and Gouverneur are slated to receive more than $11 million in state funds for improvements to their water systems.

Potsdam is to receive a $2.68 million state Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, announced Wednesday. A total of $29.7 million in water infrastructure grants were awarded statewide.

The Potsdam grant is expected to be supplemented with an $8.03 million interest-free loan through the state Environmental Facilities Corporation, for a total project cost of $10.7 million, Griffo said.

Gouverneur is slated to receive a $470,750 grant, according to state Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton.

The state water infrastructure funding is designed to help finance the planning, design and construction or enhancement of treatment plants, pump stations, sewer systems and equipment, as well as upgrades and replacements for drinking water systems, filtration plants and water mains.

“Local municipalities and taxpayers cannot easily bear the burden of funding necessary upgrades to their aging water infrastructure, so I am pleased to have helped secure these investments to make it easier for communities in the North Country to improve the quality of water they provide their residents, while protecting the environment,” Griffo said.

Grant awards were based on a scoring system that gave priority to projects that result in the greatest water quality improvement or reduction in risk to public health and are positioned to advance to construction, among other considerations.