The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $110 million loan under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) to the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District in northern Utah. This funding is part of the EPA's "Powering the Great American Comeback" initiative, which aims to protect human health and the environment while boosting economic growth.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin emphasized the importance of providing clean water, stating, "Providing clean water to all Americans is part of EPA’s core mission and this WIFIA loan will help us achieve this goal not only for Utah residents today, but also for future generations."
The loan will enable expansions and upgrades that increase water supply and advance water reuse. The project includes expanding two drinking water treatment plants, replacing storage tanks, and constructing transmission lines, an aquifer storage recovery well, and water reuse facilities.
Scott Paxman, General Manager and CEO of Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, remarked on the significance of this support: “This loan enables Weber Basin Water Conservancy District to uphold our commitment to providing safe, reliable water to a growing population."
This initiative is expected to provide reliable drinking water to approximately 700,000 residents across five counties in Utah. It marks the first WIFIA loan in a master agreement committing $285 million for infrastructure projects. The district anticipates saving around $19 million over the life of the loan due to WIFIA's repayment flexibility.
Since its inception in 2018, EPA’s WIFIA program has financed over $21 billion for projects enhancing drinking water systems while creating more than 150,000 jobs. The program supports significant investments by offering long-term credit assistance at competitive rates.
The WIFIA program was established by Congress in 2014 to accelerate investment in national water infrastructure through low-cost loans for significant projects. Currently in its eighth selection round for financing, EPA offers $6.5 billion through WIFIA alongside $1 billion through SWIFIA loans.
