The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week announced nearly $20 billion in funding for the agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program and the State Infrastructure Financing Authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) program. This year’s $6.5 billion funding also includes $13 billion of support funding in water infrastructure projects expected to create more than 40,000 jobs.
This round of funding will prioritize four areas:
- Increasing investment in economically stressed communities.
- Making rapid progress on lead service line replacement.
- Addressing PFAS and emerging contaminants.
- Supporting one water innovation and resilience.
“Water infrastructure provides the foundation for healthy and vibrant communities by delivering safe drinking water and returning our treated wastewater to the environment,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox said. “In too many communities, these essential pipes and pumps are decades old and need to be upgraded. That’s why EPA is providing $6.5 billion in low-cost financing through WIFIA and SWIFIA that can help revitalize our water systems while creating good paying jobs and delivering significant economic benefits, especially in underserved and overburdened communities.”