Region 6: Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Clean Drinking Water and Wastewater Program. Water and wastewater infrastructure are economic engines for communities. Without these services communities cannot attract businesses. Drinking and wastewater systems generate jobs long after the projects are complete. The Recovery Act will help transform and modernize our aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. It will help communities construct new facilities and modernize existing systems to be more effective in providing wastewater treatment and safe drinking water. The Recovery Act provides needed money to update infrastructure for our nation’s drinking water and wastewater facilities, to ensure clean and safe water for years to come. Learn more about EPA's clean water programs.

The Recovery Act provides a rare opportunity for disadvantaged communities to provide safe drinking water. Financially these communities cannot afford to build systems or charge high rates necessary to repay loans. The Act offers these communities hope in providing safe water through affordable services.

Recovery Act of 2009. The Recovery Act provides funds to Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs (DWSRF) in the amount of $4 Billion and $2 Billion, respectively, to create jobs and provide affordable funding for wastewater and drinking water projects. Learn more about water program funding available from the Recovery Act.

The Act sends more than $550 million to our five states to address these critical infrastructure needs. This is more than double the typical annual allocation for drinking water systems, and almost six times the typical annual allocation for waste water systems. Similar investment along the U.S. and Mexico border has resulted in millions of people benefiting from new drinking and wastewater systems. Every state has designated clean water contacts and drinking water contacts (PDF) (6 pp, 99 KB, About PDF) to manage its clean water program.

To the extent that a state has sufficient eligible projects, 20% of the funds are to be used for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency, or other environmentally innovative activities. Further, the usual 20% state match for SRF funds has been waived in order to expedite the expenditure of these funds so that job creation and economic benefit is maximized.

The Recovery Act provides $40 million nationwide for states to conduct water quality planning activities, including outreach and technical assistance, ambient monitoring, water quality standards development, and administration (this relates to Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act). Our states will share just over $3 million for these activities.

The Act provides $60 million nationwide to address wastewater treatment for Tribal communities. It provides about $29 million – double our normal annual budget - for drinking water projects for the 650,000 people living in Tribal communities in our region. Many of our Tribes are in critical need of first time or upgraded drinking water and wastewater services. Using this money, many Tribes will be able to provide sustainable drinking water and wastewater services to its member for years to come. Learn more about the Region's Tribal program.

Recovery Act Clean Water Projects Where You Live

EPA will provide specific information about Clean Water Projects in our states.  Keep checking back here to find out how the Recovery Plan is helping your community to have clean water.

Once recovery projects get underway, check our recovery map for details about individual sites. Locations will be flagged using the emblems to the right of the map, according to the type of project occurring at each site. You will be able to click on each site for more information on that particular project.