Breaking News: Government funding for the new sewer system has been reduced due to budget constraints.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is providing GEFA’s Water Resources Division with additional funding over the next five years through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). GEFA’s BIL funding for water and wastewater infrastructure projects is provided below.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) (supplemental funding)

• $30,092,000 per year for the next five years.

• BIL requires that 49 percent of the CWSRF supplemental funding be provided as grants and forgivable loans to communities that meet the state’s affordability criteria or certain project types consistent with the Clean Water Act (CWA).

CWSRF Emerging Contaminants

• $1,581,000 per year for the next five years.

• BIL requires amount to be 100 percent of the capitalization grant and/or principial forgiveness.  Additional subsidization may be provided to any eligible CWSRF assistance recipient for any project eligible under Section 603(c) of the CWA that addresses emerging contaminants.

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) (supplemental funding)

• $42,400,000 per year for the next five years.

• BIL requires 49 percent of the DWSRF supplemental funding be provided as grants and forgivable loans, and it provides flexibility to meet local water needs and to ensure disadvantaged communities benefit equitably.

DWSRF Emerging Contaminants

• $17,804,000 per year for the next five years.

• BIL requires at least 25 percent of the DWSRF Emerging Contaminants funding be provided as grants and forgivable loans to disadvantaged communities or public water systems serving fewer than 25,000 people.

In addition to infrastructure improvements, GEFA offers low-interest loans for energy-efficiency and renewable energy projects at water and wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and municipal solid waste facilities. Loans are available at a low-interest rate for a maximum of 20 years.

Interim loans are available for projects that have a definite, permanent source of financing such as a U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development loan, and are repaid in full at the completion of the project.