President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) allocates more than $50 billion to EPA toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, which helps communities access clean, safe and reliable drinking water, increase resilience, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, clean up pollution and safeguard vital waterways. The grant marks the first significant distribution of water infrastructure funds thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. State allocations were previously announced.
“All communities need access to clean, reliable, safe water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and the resources from the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are repairing aging water infrastructure, replacing lead service lines, cleaning up contaminants, and making our communities more resilient in the face of floods and climate impacts.”
“President Biden has been clear—we cannot leave any community behind as we rebuild America’s infrastructure with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. “Because of his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, nearly half of the additional SRF funding will now be grants or forgivable loans, making accessing these critical water resources easier for small, rural and disadvantaged communities.”
“This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will support unprecedented investments in wastewater treatment and drinking water infrastructure Colorado’s communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “These projects will create jobs and modernize and extend the water systems that keep our rivers clean and our water safe to drink in every corner of the state.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing critical investments to increase Coloradans’ access to clean drinking water and upgrade water infrastructure in communities that have historically been overlooked,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “Everyone deserves access to clean, safe drinking water and I am glad to see this additional funding coming to the state.”
“The benefits from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law keep flowing! Everyone deserves clean water and this funding will make critical upgrades to Colorado’s water systems,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper.
“This is a big win for our community,” said Congresswoman Diana DeGette. “These grants will help fund significant improvement to help ensure everyone in our community has access to the safe, clean drinking water they need.”
“During a time of historic drought in Colorado and across the west, the money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is crucial in improving our water infrastructure,” said Congressman Ed Perlmutter. “This investment will provide significant benefits to communities across our state and improve access to one of our most critical natural resources.”
“Every American should have access to clean, potable water,” said Congressman Jason Crow. “This critical investment will both modernize our water infrastructure and protect vital waterways in Colorado. I’m proud to have helped deliver this funding with my vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
"CDPHE is leveraging our strong community partnerships to ensure that this funding will protect Colorado's precious waterways and provide access to clean water for decades to come," said Nicole Rowan, Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Water Quality Control Division.
EPA’s SRFs are part of President Biden’s Justice40 initiative, which aims to deliver at least 40% of the benefits from certain federal programs flow to underserved communities. Furthermore, nearly half the funding available through the SRFs thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law must be grants or principal forgiveness loans that remove barriers to investing in essential water infrastructure in underserved communities across rural America and in urban centers.
Funding announced today represents FY22 awards for states that have submitted and obtained EPA’s approval of their plans for use of the funding. Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a rolling state-by-state basis, as more states receive approval throughout FY22; states will also receive awards over the course of the next four years. As grants are awarded, the state SRF programs can begin to distribute the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents the largest ever funding opportunity for investing in water infrastructure. Find out more about Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and other programs that help communities manage their water at www.epa.gov/infrastructure.
