Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $23,769,000 to South Carolina from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure through this year’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The funding will support South Carolina communities in upgrading essential water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies. Nearly half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans helping underserved communities across America invest in water infrastructure, while creating good-paying jobs.
“President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering an unprecedented investment in America that will revitalize essential water and wastewater infrastructure across the country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Not only will these funds expand access to clean water and safeguard the environment, but more underserved communities that have been left behind for far too long will be able to access them.”
“EPA’s contribution to the State Revolving Funds will enable more communities to make the investments needed to ensure improved water and wastewater infrastructure,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “These funds can create a powerful, innovative financing solution for major infrastructure projects in the Southeast region.”
“I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration on this historic investment of nearly $24 million in South Carolina’s essential water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure,” said Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06). “It is our solemn responsibility to be good stewards of our nation’s most vulnerable water resources. This funding, made possible by President Biden’s Infrastructure Law, will improve public health in underfunded communities across the state by providing the resources to make urgent investments in their outdated water infrastructure and enhance their resilience to climate change.”
“This federal funding will go a long way in supporting key improvement projects for wastewater utilities across the state, especially for small and rural utilities whose systems are in need of critical upgrades, which in turn will help protect sources of drinking water” said Myra Reece, Director of Environmental Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). “DHEC is committed to ensuring all South Carolinians have easy access to clean drinking water and reliable wastewater services. We look forward to making this EPA funding available to the communities that will benefit the most from it by improving their wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.”
Today’s announcement is part of the $2.4 billion announced as part of the second wave of funding made possible 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 allotment of $1.9 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to states, Tribes and territories through the CWSRF. That money is supporting hundreds of critical water infrastructure projects around the country.
In FY 2022, South Carolina was awarded $18,233,000 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding to support state clean water and $958,000 for emerging containments infrastructure projects. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has proposed BIL funding to address emerging containments for 126 affected residents in Darlington County whose private wells were sampled to show PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) at levels unsafe for drinking purpose.
DHEC has proposed several projects on its FY2022 CWSRF BIL General Supplement Intended Use Plan to address clean water infrastructure projects for Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements, Sanitary Sewer Collection System Improvements, Floodplain and Climate Resiliency.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes over $50 billion available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country between FY2022 and FY2026. EPA is committed to ensuring every community has access to this historic investment and has centralized increasing investment in disadvantaged communities within its implementation. This investment in water infrastructure is creating jobs while addressing key challenges, including climate change and emerging contaminants like per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 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 to today’s announcement, the 2023 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund allocations and program updates are forthcoming, pending the release of the seventh Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. EPA anticipates releasing the information in the coming weeks.
The CWSRFs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. For more information, including state-by-state allocation of 2023 funding, and a breakdown of EPA CWSRF funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/cwsrf .
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