EPA awards New Mexico $26 Million to repair water infrastructure

(UC) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced more than $26 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding to the New Mexico Environment Department and the New Mexico Finance Authority for water infrastructure improvements.

Officials from the EPA and the state of New Mexico joined a tour of a municipal water facility in Dixon, New Mexico, an example of the type of facility that would benefit from increased funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The grants mark the first significant distribution of water infrastructure funds following the passage of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BIL allocates more than $50 billion toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.

“We worked diligently to ensure that New Mexico quickly received our share of infrastructure funding so that we can begin to put it to use as soon as possible,” said Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. “The people of New Mexico will have more access to quality drinking water and healthy watersheds thanks to our successful efforts to leverage these unprecedented federal investments. I thank the members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation for their work to deliver this important funding for our state.” 

The New Mexico Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grant is being awarded to the New Mexico Finance Authority in the amount of $17,992,00 for their drinking water program. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states to achieve the health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The focus of this program is to improve drinking water treatment, fixing aging water distribution system, improve sources of water supply and replace or repair water storage tanks.

The New Mexico Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grant is being awarded to the New Mexico Environment Department in the amount of $8,738,000. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a financial assistance program to provide loans to eligible recipients to construct municipal wastewater facilities, control nonpoint sources of pollution, build decentralized wastewater systems, create green infrastructure projects, protect estuaries, and fund other water quality projects. Nearly half of the grant will focus on assisting disadvantaged communities across the state.

 

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