EPA Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Indiana Water Infrastructure Program

EPA Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Indiana Water Infrastructure Program

April 8, 2026

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer recently recognized 48 water infrastructure projects for excellence and innovation, including Indiana's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and Citizens Energy Group lead service line replacement project. This award demonstrates the importance of water infrastructure for supporting healthy Americans and laying a foundation for economic prosperity.

"Indiana's commitment to protecting public health and ensuring safe, reliable drinking water for its communities is truly exemplary," said EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel."By strategically replacing lead service lines and coordinating with every level of government to minimize costs, Citizens Energy and the Indiana Finance Authority are both setting a high standard for others to follow. This recognition reflects the dedication and collaboration of our awardees to deliver measurable benefits and resilient water infrastructure statewide."

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs have provided a foundation of federal investment in water infrastructure for decades. The State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs directly support EPA's Powering the Great American Comeback InitiativeExit EPA's website, which emphasizes the need for clean air, land, and water for every American and the importance of cooperative federalism.

EPA's AQUARIUS program celebrates drinking water projects financed in part by the DWSRFs that are innovative, resilient, and protect public health. The Citizens Energy Group was given an honorable mention for their lead service replacement project in Indianapolis.

EPA also recognized SRF programs through the new State Excellence Recognition Program, which celebrates high-performing SRF programs that demonstrate outstanding financial and program management and effective delivery of assistance across both the CWSRF and DWSRF. The Indiana Finance Authority was given an honorable mention for drinking water state revolving fund state excellence.

Indiana Aquarius Award:

The Citizens Energy Group secured an $11 million lead service line replacement loan to replace lead pipes on public property and private property where access is granted. Groups were able to coordinate and minimize cost by timing replacements with planned infrastructure projects. This also helped minimize construction impacts and community disruption. Local community organizations partnered in outreach, educating residents and encouraging participation in the replacement program.

The grant initially targeted the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis. The neighborhood is home to about 13,000 residents and was identified as a priority area due to its low median household income and a high concentration of lead service lines. Citizens Energy Group is now seeking to expand the program to additional priority areas and eliminate lead service lines city-wide.

State Excellence Recognition:

The Indiana Finance Authority has consistently excelled in its programmatic and financial management of their clean water state revolving fund program. The efficiency of Indiana's program can be highlighted with its 480% federal return on investment. Indiana is unique in its use of a pooled loan program to fund projects above and beyond the traditional SRF fundable range. The program allows communities to utilize the State's "AAA" credit rating interest rate, which allows in significant savings for communities. In 2025, the pooled loan program provided six communities with $265 million in loan funding. Through this innovative financing technique, Indiana enabled more projects and provided communities with almost $62 million in savings.

See the full list of recognized projects and learn more about the AQUARIUSand PISCESprograms.

Background

The SRF programs are EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. The SRFs have provided over $265 billion in financial assistance to more than 50,000 water quality infrastructure projects and 76,000 drinking water projects across the country.