The One Water Modernization Program in Englewood, Colo., received $22 million in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan funds through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The loan will help Englewood modernize aging wastewater infrastructure at the South Platte Renew-Wastewater Treatment plant, a May 6 EPA news release said.
“The South Platte River provides essential water for drinking, agriculture, industry and recreation,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox said in the news release. “I want to congratulate the city of Englewood for investing in clean water and securing a low-interest WIFIA loan to help cover the costs. EPA supports water infrastructure investments and looks forward to uplifting more communities with $50 billion for water through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.”
The WIFIA loan provides “long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects,” according to the release. Financing through the loan will save Englewood approximately $8.5 million. Approximately 282 jobs will be created through construction and operation.
“The city of Englewood’s South Platte Renew upgrades will create good-paying jobs, strengthen capacity and resilience and secure state-of-the-art wastewater treatment for a cleaner, healthier watershed," EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker said.
Englewood is the first utility in Colorado to use the loan program for infrastructure, Englewood Mayor Othoniel Sierra said in the news release.
"Not only does the WIFIA program provide the funds necessary to modernize our aging wastewater infrastructure to be more resilient and protect and improve water quality in the South Platte River, it allows the city to delay repayment, saving citizens money," Sierra said, according to the release.
