The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has opened more than $7 billion in low-cost Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) financing. EPA will accept letters of interest on a rolling basis from utilities and other eligible borrowers.
For this ninth funding round, EPA is making $6.5 billion available through WIFIA and $550 million through the State WIFIA (SWIFIA) program. SWIFIA financing is available to state infrastructure financing authorities.
EPA has also approved five new WIFIA loans for projects in Texas, Illinois, Oregon, and Florida. The loans will move to closing in the coming months.
- Fort Worth, Texas: A $347 million loan will upgrade wastewater collection and treatment systems and build a new water reclamation facility to supply reuse water for industrial and irrigation customers.
- Pflugerville, Texas: A $176 million loan will fund a new wastewater treatment plant, wastewater collection system improvements, and drinking water main rehabilitation. This is the city’s second WIFIA loan.
- Joliet, Illinois: An $87 million loan will help the city shift its drinking water supply from a stressed aquifer to Lake Michigan and upgrade the distribution system to reduce water loss. This loan is part of a larger $395 million WIFIA financing agreement.
- Ashland, Oregon: A $73 million loan will support construction of a new drinking water treatment plant to provide a more reliable and resilient water supply.
- Wilton Manors, Florida: A $28 million loan will replace water mains, rehabilitate lift stations and force mains, and improve stormwater drainage to reduce pipeline failure risks and water loss.