Federal Lawmakers and Water Coalition Urge Strong SRF Reauthorization Levels
The American Public Works Association and national water organizations submitted formal recommendations urging Congress to protect robust funding for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. The advocacy follows conflicting committee drafts over future reauthorization levels. Utilities and associations emphasized that predictable federal financing is crucial to maintaining regulatory compliance and system modernization.
A coalition of public works and water industry organizations, led by the American Public Works Association (APWA), issued an advocacy letter to congressional committee leaders calling for strong, predictable authorization levels for key federal water assistance programs. The coalition's plea directly targets ongoing negotiations over the reauthorization of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds (SRFs) and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA).
The push comes amid discrepancies between Senate and House draft legislation, with utility advocates expressing concern over proposed funding reductions in specific committee marks that could undercut critical community treatment investments. The coalition urged lawmakers to reconcile these bills by adopting the highest proposed investment baselines to preserve long-term funding stability for local municipalities.
Water resource recovery facilities and municipal sewer authorities rely heavily on SRF low-interest loans to finance consent-decree mandates, nutrient reduction targets, and collection network repairs. Stakeholders argued that failure to maintain robust authorizations risks halting momentum gained from recent federal infrastructure laws, leaving local rate-payers to shoulder expanding capital improvement burdens.
EPA Announces $272 Million WIFIA Loan for Columbia, Tennessee
The EPA has awarded a $272 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the city of Columbia, Tennessee. The funding is designated to support critical upgrades to the city's water and wastewater infrastructure.
Source: US EPA
Department of Energy Invests $27.8 Million to Decarbonize Water Resource Recovery Facilities
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced $27.8 million in funding for 10 projects focused on decarbonizing water resource recovery facilities. These initiatives aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% without increasing operational costs.
Source: energy.gov
Legislation Extending Drinking and Clean Water SRF Programs Moves Forward
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, which includes critical reauthorization for EPA water infrastructure funding. The bill authorizes $14 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $16.5 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund over the next several years.
Source: LICA National
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