The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $47.491 million in funding to help modernize Ocean State water infrastructure. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocates $43 billion in federal funding for water infrastructure improvements across the country.
U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo announced the $47,491,000 in new federal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding to help pay for clean water projects across the Ocean State.
The federal funding, which is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) includes allocations of $16.87 million through the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), with $1.44 million set aside to address emerging contaminants (ECs); and $30.6 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, with $7.64 million earmarked for projects addressing ECs. The EC funding may be used to address emerging contaminants such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
At the state level, the federal funds will be administered by several agencies:
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank (RIIB) may use CWSRF money to provide loans at low interest rates for water quality protection projects that improve wastewater treatment systems, control pollution from storm water runoff, and protect sensitive water bodies and estuaries.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (DOH) and the RIIB are the state agencies that oversee the DWSRF, which provides loans at low interest rates for improvements to drinking water systems, focusing especially on small and low-income communities and programs that encourage pollution prevention to ensure that drinking water is safe.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
