Biden-Harris Administration announces over $125 million for Georgia drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure upgrades as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
ATLANTA (February 23, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $125 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Georgia drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The funding is part of the over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest such investment in American history. Today’s announcement will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda continues to transform communities for the better with this latest infusion of funds for critical water infrastructure projects,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With $50 billion in total, the largest investment in water infrastructure in our nation’s history, EPA will enable communities across the nation to ensure safer drinking water for their residents and rebuild vital clean water infrastructure to protect public health for decades to come.”
“Senator Raphael Warnock and I are delivering water infrastructure upgrades to remove lead pipes from our drinking water and keep our families safe and healthy,” said U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff. “Our bipartisan infrastructure law will deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia’s infrastructure for years to come. I thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, and EPA Administrator Regan for their continued collaboration as we lead Georgia forward.”
“Access to safe, clean drinking water is a right all Americans expect and deserve,” said U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. “This week’s announcement that President Biden – thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I supported – is investing $50 billion through the EPA in water infrastructure upgrades across the United States, including $125 million for Georgia, is a giant step forward addressing toxic lead pipes, improving to our wastewater and sanitation infrastructure, and removing PFAS contamination or ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water.”
“Prioritizing water infrastructure upgrades has been a top focus during my tenure in Congress. Whether that be through my Community Project Funding submissions or championing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make these investments for Georgia possible, my commitment is unwavering,” said U.S. Representative David Scott (GA-13). “The health and prosperity of our Georgia communities is intricately linked to the state of our water resources. I look forward to continuing to work with the Biden Administration to ensure that the much-needed funding for water infrastructure reaches GA-13 and beyond.”
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is an investment in our communities’ well-being. With a focus on water infrastructure, it’s a beacon of hope for marginalized areas long neglected,” said U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05). “This historic funding is critical for communities that have been forced to use intentionally underfunded water infrastructure. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s continued work to ensure clean water is no longer a privilege but a right for all – no matter your ZIP Code, no matter your bank account.”
“Access to safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental need for all, and our infrastructure must modernize to protect this resource for our families,” said U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA). “I’m proud to see the Biden-Harris Administration and the EPA announce historic investments in Georgia’s drinking water as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Together, the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress are working to rebuild our water infrastructure and support the American people.”
Communities across the country are facing water infrastructure challenges. Many cities and towns have aging water infrastructure – old, broken or lead pipes carrying drinking water and wastewater treatment plants in need of major upgrades. Some communities struggle to maintain adequate stormwater infrastructure to effectively manage flood impacts from climate change and others need to upgrade their water treatment to address emerging contaminants like PFAS.
The funding EPA announced for Georgia is part of a $5.8 billion investment through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), one of EPA’s signature water investment programs. This multi-billion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs to address key challenges, with $2.6 billion going to the Clean Water SRF for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure and $3.2 billion going to the Drinking Water SRF for drinking water infrastructure nationwide. Today’s announcement includes allotments for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law General Supplemental funds and Emerging Contaminant funds for SRF programs for fiscal year 2024. EPA anticipates announcing allocations for billions of dollars in additional resources for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Lead Service Line Replacement fund later this Spring.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Action in Georgia
Since 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has injected over $430 million into water infrastructure projects across Georgia—protecting public health, preserving water resources, and creating jobs- including:
- $1.5 million to Dalton, GA- Dalton Utilities will conduct a series of pilot projects to test the effectiveness of various PFAS removal and destruction technologies.
To view stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s new Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Storymap. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.
Background
The Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds 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 – payment of principal and interest on loans made are available to address future needs.
For more information, including state-by-state allocation of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA State Revolving Fund funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund website and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund website.
###
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-125-million-georgia-drinking-water
