Delaware secures over $77 million in federal funding for water infrastructure upgrades

(UI) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Delaware $77,341,000 to support clean water efforts and to better deliver safe drinking water across the state. Most of this funding, $68,621,000, came from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which is the largest federal investment in water infrastructure in U.S. history. This BIL funding will supplement the $8,720,000 in FY 23 funding appropriated to Delaware’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs).

“As the single-largest water infrastructure investment in our nation’s history, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping deliver clean water access in Delaware,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “When crafting this law, we had projects in mind that were woefully in need of repair, including connecting, repairing, and replacing old sewer and water lines in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties that local governments cannot afford to do on their own.”

EPA awards grants to states annually to capitalize the State Revolving Funds (SRFs), which provide low or no interest loans for water infrastructure projects. Delaware will use this money to help communities across the state fund necessary water projects that some borrowers may not have been able to afford otherwise.

“The BIL and base SRF funding from EPA will spur along Delaware’s initiative to provide sewer capabilities and drinking water to communities in need,” said the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “These projects – which were already submitted and approved through our State Revolving Fund process – also signify environmental benefits by helping clean up our rivers, streams and bays in Delaware. It’s much-needed funding that will be directed in large portion to our state’s municipalities, counties and low-income and underserved communities.”

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