Made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, new funding will help ensure communities have access to clean and safe drinking water

April 5, 2023

PHILADELPHIA (April 5, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $62,283,000 to West Virginia for upgrading essential drinking water infrastructure. Thanks to a $6 billion boost from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is increasing investments available through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to rebuild the nation’s water infrastructure.

“Every community deserves access to safe, clean drinking water,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure investments, we have an unprecedented opportunity to revitalize America’s drinking water systems, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of removing 100% of lead pipes across our country, and protect communities from PFAS pollution.”

“Having spent time in West Virginia meeting with communities who have endured decades-long problems accessing safe, reliable drinking water, I know how essential this infrastructure funding is to them,” said EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz.  “Ensuring that these most vulnerable communities benefit from this funding is critical for protecting their health and growing their local economies.”

“When crafting the infrastructure law in the Environment and Public Works Committee, we made it a priority to provide long-term funding with maximum state flexibility that would help ensure communities across West Virginia and the rest of the country had safe, clean drinking water,” EPW Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said. “The upgrades and modernizations that will be made to water systems as a result of these funds being disbursed to states will make a key difference for the health and safety of residents moving forward.”

“Every community and every West Virginian deserves access to clean water. That’s why this critical portion of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was carved out to deliver these critical improvements to communities across the country,” said U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.WVa.) “I’m proud of this bipartisan law and will continue working with the Administration to ensure every community in the Mountain State has access to reliable and clean water.” 

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to strengthening the nation’s water infrastructure, while providing significant resources to address key challenges, including climate change, emerging contaminants like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and cybersecurity.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing over $50 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country between FY 2022 and FY 2026. In its second year of implementation, $6 billion of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will be available to states, Tribes, and territories through the DWSRF. Of that funding, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest $3 billion in lead service line identification and improvement, $800 million to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and $2.2 billion in other critical drinking water system improvements. Additionally, approximately $500 million will also be available through the DWSRF annual appropriations, established by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA is committed to ensuring every community has access to this historic investment and has centralized increasing investment in disadvantaged communities within its implementation. The implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law calls for strong collaboration, and EPA continues to work in partnership with states, Tribes, and territories to ensure that communities see the full benefits of this investment. In addition, EPA is strengthening its water technical assistance programs to support communities in assessing their water needs and apply for their fair share of this historic investment.

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is growing the American economy from the bottom up and middle-out – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree, to building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

More information, including state-by-state allocation of 2023 funding and information on the DWINSA.

More information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

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Originally Appeared Here