Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $39 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District in central Illinois. The funding will facilitate the district's Wastewater System Modernization and Rehabilitation Program, providing vital public health and environmental protections while promoting economic growth.
"Through our WIFIA program and historic funding delivered by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is investing in communities across the country to provide clean and safe water that is essential to residents, schools, and businesses," said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott.
The district's modernization program will upgrade the wastewater system serving over 130,000 residents. This includes rehabilitating its wastewater treatment plant and conveyance systems to meet environmental regulations, increase system resiliency, reduce combined sewer overflows, and convert backup generators from diesel fuel to natural gas. The district also plans to generate solar power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs while improving air quality.
Tim Ervin, Executive Director of the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District, emphasized that borrowing through the WIFIA program would accelerate renovation of aged facilities and construction of new ones to meet or exceed NPDES permit standards.
With this loan, the district anticipates saving $10 million and creating approximately 250 jobs. It marks the first WIFIA loan under a master agreement committing $157 million to accelerate rehabilitation of the district’s wastewater system.
Since its inception, EPA’s WIFIA program has announced over $20 billion in financing supporting more than $43 billion in water infrastructure projects nationwide. These projects have created over 140,000 jobs while strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in November 2021 provides $50 billion for investment in water infrastructure. Projects funded by this law are now breaking ground across the country, addressing legacy pollution, upgrading drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and enhancing community resilience to climate change impacts.
The WIFIA program was established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014. It is a federal loan program administered by EPA aimed at accelerating investment in the nation’s water infrastructure through long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects.
EPA is currently in its 7th selection round for WIFIA financing, offering $6.5 billion through WIFIA and $1 billion through SWIFIA, a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers.
In addition to WIFIA loans, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
