EPA has awarded Georgia $499.385 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The funding will support communities affected by Hurricane Helene and help utilities prepare for future emergencies and natural disasters.
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) will administer the award through the Helene Resilience Funding program. GEFA finances water, energy, and land projects for local governments and other eligible organizations across the state.
The award includes $359.5 million for drinking water infrastructure and $124.9 million for wastewater systems. It also allocates $8.96 million for decentralized wastewater infrastructure, including septic systems. Another $3.3 million will support emergency wastewater responses, while $2.75 million will fund emergency drinking water responses.
Communities must demonstrate that Hurricane Helene affected their water infrastructure to qualify for funding. Proposed projects must reduce flood damage risks or improve system resilience during rapid hydrologic changes and natural disasters. The funding can support infrastructure repairs, system upgrades, and measures that protect drinking water and wastewater services during emergencies.
GEFA requested project proposals from eligible communities in fall 2025 while preparing for the final federal award. The agency has identified a preliminary list of submitted and fundable projects. Its board of directors will consider the first group of individual awards at its November 2026 meeting.