Biden-Harris administration announces over $140M for water infrastructure in EPA Region 8 states
DENVER – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $140 million in new funding for the Region 8 states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade water infrastructure and keep communities safe.
The funding for EPA Region 8 is part of $3.6 billion EPA is distributing nationally. Combined with $2.6 billion announced earlier this month, this $6.2 billion in investments for Fiscal Year 2025 will help communities across the country upgrade water infrastructure that is essential to safely managing wastewater, protecting local freshwater resources and delivering safe drinking water to homes, schools and businesses.
“EPA is committed to protecting the health of all by ensuring access to clean, safe water,” said KC Becker, EPA Regional Administrator. “The historic amount of funding announced today will benefit communities across our region and will make first-rate water infrastructure upgrades affordable in the communities that need it most."
“Protecting and investing in Colorado's precious water resources is essential to keeping our communities safe and healthy, mitigating the risk of wildfires, and driving our economy," said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. "We’re glad the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $35 million into Colorado’s water infrastructure and highlighting our state as a national leader in water conservation efforts and innovative solutions that protect all Coloradans and the environment.”
These Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs), a long-standing federal-state water investment partnership. This multibillion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs that address key challenges in financing water infrastructure.
Funding to EPA Region 8 states includes:
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Colorado: $35,006,000
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Montana: $20,910,000
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North Dakota: $20,910,000
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South Dakota: $20,910,000
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Utah: $21,833,000
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Wyoming: $20,910,000
This funding is part of a five-year, $50 billion investment in water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest investment in water infrastructure in American history. To ensure investments reach communities that need them the most, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law mandates that most of the funding announced today must be provided to disadvantaged communities in the form of grants or loans that do not have to be repaid.
EPA is changing the odds for communities that have faced barriers to planning and accessing federal funding through its Water Technical Assistance program, which helps disadvantaged communities identify water challenges, develop infrastructure upgrade plans and apply for funding. Communities seeking Water Technical Assistance can request support by completing the WaterTA request form. These efforts also advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
To read stories about how unprecedented investments in water from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Storymap. To read more about additional projects, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.
For more information, including the state-by-state allocation of 2025 funding and a breakdown of EPA SRF funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit the Clean Water SRF website and Drinking Water SRF website. Also, the SRF Public Portal allows users to access data from both the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs through interactive reports, dashboards and maps.
The SRF programs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. SRF programs are critically important programs for investing in the nation’s water infrastructure. They are designed to generate significant and sustainable water quality and public health benefits across the country. Their impact is amplified by the growth inherent in a revolving loan structure, in which payments of principal and interest on loans become available to address future needs.