Federal Funding to Tap

According to recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, rehabilitating, replacing, and upgrading water infrastructure will cost more than half a trillion dollars during the next 20 years — $151 billion for drinking water and $390 billion for wastewater — far more than utility customer fees will cover.

To help bridge this funding gap, utilities can turn to a variety of funding programs. The U.S. Congress annually appropriates funding for various water quality loan and grant programs through many agencies, including EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).