Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will provide significant levels of funding for states to finance high priority infrastructure projects needed to ensure clean water and safe drinking water. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, in place since 1987, will receive $4 billion. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, in place since 1997, will receive $2 billion. Together, the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs have funded more than 30,000 projects totaling $84 billion.
EPA will make Recovery Act grants to states and Puerto Rico to capitalize their State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, from which assistance is provided to eligible publicly-owned treatment works and public water systems to finance high priority water infrastructure projects. The states will set priorities based on public health and environmental factors, in addition to readiness to proceed to construction, and identify which projects will receive funding.
What Can I Find on This Site?
- Guidance for Award of Water Quality Management Planning Grants Funded Under the Recovery Act (PDF) (32 pp, 634K, About PDF)
- Allocation Chart – funding levels for states and territories (PDF) (2 pp, 109K, About PDF)
- Guidance for Award of Recovery Act Funding to State Revolving Funds (PDF) (49 pp, 661K, About PDF)
- ARRA and SRF Questions and Answers Volume 1 (PDF) (17 pp, 60K, About PDF)
- Implementation of Buy American Provisions of the Recovery Act (PDF) (16 pp, 569K, About PDF)
- Waiver of Section 1605 for projects between October 2008 and February 17, 2009 (PDF) (2 pp, 48K, About PDF)
- Webcast on Green Project Reserve (PDF) (30 pp, 120K, About PDF)
- Timeline for Clean Water State Revolving Fund Recovery Act Funding (PDF) (2 pp, 29K, About PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How can a community or utility get funding?
- How can the public find out what projects the state is considering for funding?
- How quickly will states use the funding?
- Does EPA anticipate that it might have to take funding away from states?
- What is EPA going to do to ensure that states fund green projects?
- Can a utility get a grant from Recovery Act funding?
- Can an individual get assistance from Recovery Act funding?
- Will states get to use any of these funds to help them run the program?
Considerations for Using Funds
States must provide at least 20% of their grants for green projects, including green infrastructure, energy or water efficiency, and environmentally innovative activities. EPA has a number of websites that can help communities identify potential projects and activities that may be eligible for funds.
- Green Infrastructure
- Water Efficiency
- Energy Efficiency
- ENERGY STAR program
- ENERGY STAR for wastewater and drinking water plants
- Septic and Decentralized Infrastructure
- Smart Growth program
State CWSRF programs have a history of funding innovative projects.
Effectively managed water utilities help sustain our nation’s water infrastructure. As local communities identify projects for funding, EPA encourages them to use sustainable practices to ensure that their infrastructure will provide long-term benefits for their customers and the environment.
There are additional Recovery Act programs that focus on water infrastructure and water quality.
About 604(b) Guidance
Guidance for Award of Recovery Act Funding for Water Quality Management Planning Grants (PDF) (32 pp, 634K, About PDF)
Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) provides for reservation each fiscal year of 1% of each State's Clean Water State Revolving Fund allotment (or $100,000, if greater) " to carry out planning" under Section 205(j) and 303(e) of the CWA.