Delaware to Solicit Water Quality Improvement Projects With Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funding

The South Wilmington Wetlands Park (shown above in 2020) was designed to create a stormwater management facility and remediate and
restore 22 acres of wetlands along the Christina River in the South Wilmington area. /Delaware DNREC photo

Virtual Public Workshop Scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 21

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), in conjunction with the Division of Public Health (DPH), will begin soliciting for new water quality improvement projects Friday, Jan. 16 as DNREC and DPH start to develop 2026 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) project priority lists.

Projects must be listed on the CWSRF and DWSRF project priority lists to be considered for funding. Funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) - formerly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - for clean water and drinking water projects will be provided through the existing State Revolving Fund (SRF) process.

Notices of Intent (NOI) for SRF wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, and related infrastructure projects must be received by DNREC Environmental Finance by close of business at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

DNREC and DPH will hold a State Revolving Loan Fund virtual public workshop at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 offering a detailed overview of the CWSRF and DWSRF programs. Attendees will receive guidance for requesting financial assistance for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project needs. Pre-registration for the virtual workshop (via Zoom) is required.

Workshop attendees also will learn how SRF and other programs administered by DNREC Environmental Finance can provide a wide range of financial assistance. These include:

• A one-stop loan application process for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project assistance, including new funding available under the IIJA;
• Supplemental funding available to address emerging contaminants and lead service line replacement;
• Additional subsidies to disadvantaged communities for water infrastructure projects;
• Green Project Reserve projects;
• Overflow and Stormwater grant projects

The workshop also will cover information about planning tools to assist SRF applicants with:

• Wastewater, drinking water, and surface water matching planning grants
• Asset management planning grants
• Project planning advances
• Planning and design loans

Additionally, the workshop will offer guidance on how and when to submit projects for funding consideration; project ranking criteria; project construction requirements, and how to apply for infrastructure planning grants. More information on the loan and grant programs and applications can be found at the de.gov/envfinance webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state's natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Environmental Finance team administers Delaware's Clean Water State Revolving Fund, making funding available to municipalities, the private sector, nonprofit organizations and individuals. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, Bluesky or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, [email protected]; Nikki Lavoie, [email protected]

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