EPA awards $30,277,000 to South Carolina for water infrastructure resiliency

EPA awards $30,277,000 to South Carolina for water infrastructure resiliency

Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office - (404) 562-8400, [email protected]

Columbia, SC (April 8, 2026) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $30,277,000 in supplemental appropriation funds to South Carolina to improve water infrastructure resiliency in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

"These funds are critical to South Carolina as they rebuild with more resilient water systems that can better withstand severe weather," said EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "We are reminded how critical access to safe clean water is, especially in the most difficult of times."

South Carolina received $17,771,000 for its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. In addition, South Carolina received $3,102,000 for its Clean Water State Revolving Fund; however, the state has elected to transfer these funds to its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. This will provide South Carolina with $20,873,000 to make low-interest loans with principal forgiveness toward the cost of planning, design and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects. This allocation was administered under Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

South Carolina received $9,404,000 for its Clean Water State Revolving Fund to improve the resilience of septic systems and assess and connect homes served by septic systems to centralized wastewater systems. This allocation was administered under Title VI of the Clean Water Act.

BACKGROUND:

These funds are part of the 2025 Supplemental Congressional Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai'i Wildfires, administered under the State Revolving Fund (SRF). The funds may be used to complete SRF-eligible projects that increase resiliency to natural disasters at facilities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai'i wildfires. These include projects to improve drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities, distribution and collection systems and source water supply, among others. 

More information: www.epa.gov/cwsrf, www.epa.gov/dwsrf, and https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-03/sa-hmw-implementation-memorandum.pdf

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