February 24, 2023
LENEXA, KAN. (FEBRUARY 24, 2023) – Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20,944,000 to Kansas from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure through this year’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
The funding will support Kansas communities in upgrading essential water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure that protects public health and valuable bodies of water. Nearly half of this funding will be available in the form of grants or major forgiveness loans to help underprivileged communities across America invest in water infrastructure while creating good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill is delivering an unprecedented investment in America that will revitalize essential water and wastewater infrastructure across the country,” he said. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These funds will not only expand access to clean water and protect the environment, but underserved communities that have been left behind for too long will also be able to access it.”
“This $20.9 million in bipartisan infrastructure law funding will be used to upgrade aging water systems and enable our communities to address water infrastructure vulnerabilities that are exposed as we experience the effects of climate change, such as increasing storm severity and flooding,” said Meghan A. McCollister, EPA Region 7 administrator. “The state’s investments through this fund will increase access to clean water and protect our water resources for the future, while helping to keep utility rates affordable for Kansans.”
“From the water in our faucets to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our daily routines,” said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3). “People don’t always realize the importance of these systems until they fail, but it’s our responsibility to make sure they never get to that point. Through this funding, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to make a difference in the lives of Kansans by ensuring people have clean water at home, work and school.”
Today’s announcement is part of $2.4 billion announced as part of the second wave of funding enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to invest in America. In May 2022, EPA announced the initial award of $1.9 billion from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act to states, tribes, and territories through the CWSRF. That money supports hundreds of critical water infrastructure projects across the country.
President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Act makes more than $50 billion available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country between FY 2022 and FY 2026. EPA is committed to ensuring that every community has access to this historic investment and has centralized growing investment in underprivileged communities within its implementation. This investment in water infrastructure is creating jobs while addressing key challenges, including climate change and emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Implementing the bipartisan infrastructure law requires strong partnerships, and EPA continues to work collaboratively with states, tribes and territories to ensure communities see the full benefits of this investment.
In addition to today’s announcement, the 2023 State Revolving Drinking Water Fund allocations and program updates are on the way, pending the release of the seventh Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Assessment and Survey. The EPA expects to release the information in the coming weeks.
CWSRFs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for over 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. For more information, including a state-by-state allocation of 2023 funding and a breakdown of EPA CWSRF funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, visit EPA’s CWSRF page.
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