Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $41 million for water infrastructure in Connecticut through Investing in America agenda

Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $41 million for water infrastructure in Connecticut through Investing in America agenda

October 23, 2024

BOSTON (Oct. 23, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.6 billion in new funding under the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade water infrastructure and keep communities safe. Combined with $2.6 billion announced earlier this month, this $6.2 billion in investments for Fiscal Year 2025 will help communities across the country upgrade water infrastructure that is essential to safely managing wastewater, protecting local freshwater resources, and delivering safe drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses.

These Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF and DWSRF), a long-standing federal-state water investment partnership. This multibillion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs that address key challenges in financing water infrastructure. Today's announcement includes allotments for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Clean Water General Supplemental funds for Connecticut ($30,484,000), Emerging Contaminant funds ($2,631,000), and $7,640,000 under the Drinking Water Emerging Contaminant Fund.

This funding is part of a five-year, $50 billion investment in water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - the largest investment in water infrastructure in American history. To ensure investments reach communities that need them the most, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law mandates that a majority of the funding announced today must be provided to disadvantaged communities in the form of grants or loans that do not have to be repaid.

"Water keeps us healthy, sustains vibrant communities and dynamic ecosystems, and supports economic opportunity. When our water infrastructure fails, it threatens people's health, peace of mind, and the environment," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's historic investment in water, EPA is working with states and local partners to upgrade infrastructure and address local challenges-from lead in drinking water, to PFAS, to water main breaks, to sewer overflows and climate resilience. Together, we are creating good-paying jobs while ensuring that all people can rely on clean and safe water."

"Clean, reliable water is at the heart of every thriving community. Yet too many communities-especially those overburdened by pollution or left behind by past investments-face challenges accessing the resources they need to upgrade water infrastructure," said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are delivering transformative funding to support local solutions to water issues, from fixing aging infrastructure to addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS. These investments don't just protect public health and reduce pollution in waterways; they also create good-paying jobs and help communities become more resilient for the future."

"A commitment to clean water speaks volumes about a nation's values. This $40 million federal investment enables communities to improve their water infrastructure, expanding access to safe and clean drinking water, protecting our local freshwater sources, and reducing wastewater pollutants in our waterways. I am proud that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for communities across Connecticut," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.

"These historic investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way towards tackling some of Connecticut's most challenging water infrastructure projects," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. "From replacing aging pipes to protecting our watersheds, this $40 million in federal dollars will help ensure every community across our state has reliable access to clean, safe water for generations to come."

"The nearly $41 million in federal funding announced today will help improve local water infrastructure through lead pipe replacement, wastewater management infrastructure improvements, and broken water main repairs," said U.S. Representative John B. Larson. "We passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accomplish these goals while also creating good-paying jobs, and I will continue to work with the entire Connecticut delegation to deliver federal funding to improve our water systems and ensure everyone has access to safe drinking water."

EPA is changing the odds for communities that have faced barriers to planning and accessing federal funding through its Water Technical Assistance program, which helps disadvantaged communities identify water challenges, develop infrastructure upgrade plans, and apply for funding. Communities seeking Water Technical Assistance can request support by completing the WaterTA request form. These efforts also advance the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative, which sets the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

To read stories about how unprecedented investments in water from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Storymap. To read more about additional projects, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.

For more information, including the state-by-state allocation of 2025 funding and a breakdown of EPA SRF funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit the Clean Water State Revolving Fund website and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund website. Additionally, the SRF Public Portal allows users to access data from both the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs through interactive reports, dashboards, and maps.

The State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. SRF programs are critically important programs for investing in the nation's water infrastructure. They are designed to generate significant and sustainable water quality and public health benefits across the country. Their impact is amplified by the growth inherent in a revolving loan structure, in which payments of principal and interest on loans become available to address future needs.