May 2018 Vol 73 No. 5
Newsline
New EPA Funding Leverages Public, Private Investments in Water Infrastructure Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of funding – up to $5.5 billion in loans – that could leverage more than $11 billion in water infrastructure projects through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program.
“Thanks to the President’s leadership, this WIFIA funding will spark new investments to repair our nation’s crumbling water infrastructure,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “EPA will play a key role in the President’s infrastructure efforts by incentivizing states, municipalities, and public-private partnerships to protect public health, fix local infrastructure problems, create jobs, and provide clean water to communities.”
WIFIA, a federal loan and guarantee program at EPA, aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects, involving:
- drinking water treatment and distribution
- wastewater conveyance and treatment
- enhanced energy efficiency at drinking water and wastewater facilities
- desalination, aquifer recharge, alternative water supply, and water recycling
- drought prevention, reduction, or mitigation
Prospective borrowers seeking WIFIA credit assistance must submit a letter of interest (LOI) by July 6, 2018. EPA will evaluate proposed projects described in the LOIs, select the ones it intends to fund and invite them to continue to the application process.
In 2017, for WIFIA’s inaugural round, EPA invited 12 projects in nine states to apply for more than $2 billion in WIFIA loans.
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