EPA to Waive Water Infrastructure Loan Program Fees, Remove Barriers for Small Communities

EPA to Waive Water Infrastructure Loan Program Fees, Remove Barriers for Small Communities

June 29, 2026

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will be waiving fees for small communities who apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans in fiscal years 2026 and 2027. By waiving the WIFIA Application and Credit Processing Fees, small communities can save almost $200,000 when applying for a WIFIA loan, clearing a notable barrier to accessing funding to improve water infrastructure through this successful program.

"Small and rural communities are the backbone of America, and it is a top priority at the Trump EPA to support access to clean, safe drinking water and wastewater services. Water infrastructure in these communities is essential to their public health, environmental protection and economic prosperity," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer."EPA's WIFIA program has $11 billion in flexible financing available to support water infrastructure projects. Our goal is to reduce barriers to access these resources, especially in our nation's small and rural communities."

The WIFIA program charges fees to loan applicants to reimburse the federal government for costs incurred with processing and underwriting WIFIA loans. These costs can be financed by the WIFIA loan as eligible project costs. The $25,000 WIFIA Application Fee for small communities and separate Credit Processing Fee - currently averaging approximately $156,000 per loan - can be significant barriers for small communities seeking to access WIFIA financing. EPA will be waiving the Application Fee for small communities with populations of 25,000 or fewer. The agency will also waive the Credit Processing Fee for communities in Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027, subject to WIFIA's program requirements and available administrative funds.

The WIFIA program currently has approximately $11 billion in flexible financing available to support water infrastructure projects across the country, including in small and rural communities where WIFIA can finance up to 80 percent of project costs. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest.

Learn more about EPA's WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments, including how to submit a letter of interest.

Background

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.