Clean Water Current

(April 10, 2018) - EPA announced, on April 4, the availability of approximately $5.5 billion in credit assistance for water infrastructure projects under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. EPA estimates this financing will help support approximately $11 billion in total infrastructure investment. 

In the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), the WIFIA program solicits letters of interest from prospective borrowers seeking credit assistance from EPA. The NOFA outlines the process that prospective borrowers must follow to be considered for WIFIA credit assistance and establishes how the selection criteria will be weighted. Priorities for Fiscal Year 2018 are (1) provide for clean and safe drinking water, including reducing exposure to lead in the nation’s drinking water systems and (2) repair, rehabilitate, and replace aging infrastructure and conveyance systems. Letters of interest from prospective borrowers seeking WIFIA loans will be accepted until 12:00 noon ET on July 6. 

The WIFIA program website has been updated to include resources to assist prospective borrowers seeking credit assistance, including:

• Application Materials, which include a new Letter of Interest form, example, and checklist; and
• An updated WIFIA Program Handbook.

Interested NACWA members are encouraged to register for one of the webinars that EPA will host during the Letter of Interest submittal period. The webinars will provide a brief overview of the WIFIA program and explain the process for submitting and evaluating WIFIA letters of interest. Following the webinars, EPA will post a copy of the presentation and a recording of the webinar on the WIFIA website.

NACWA worked closely with other water sector partners to secure an unprecedented level of WIFIA funding for this fiscal year, leading to this new round of funding availability. To receive announcements about the WIFIA program and notifications about additional resources, please sign up on the WIFIA website.