EPA Invites Projects in California, Arizona to Apply for WIFIA Water Infrastructure Loans Loans

The goal is to help make critical investments in communities to improve water quality for 22 million Americans

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting 12 projects in California and one project in Arizona to apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. A total of 39 projects have been invited to apply nationwide.

“Through WIFIA, EPA is playing an integral role in President Trump’s efforts to improve and upgrade our nation’s water infrastructure and ensure all Americans have access to clean and safe water,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This year, EPA will help finance over $10 billion in water infrastructure investments that will create up to 155,000 jobs, upgrade aging infrastructure, reduce lead exposure, and improve the lives of millions of Americans across the country.”

EPA’s WIFIA loans will allow large and small communities across the country to implement projects to address two national water priorities – providing for clean and safe drinking water, including reducing exposure to lead and other contaminants, and addressing aging water infrastructure.

EPA received 62 letters of interest from both public and private entities in response to the 2018 WIFIA Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). After a robust, statutorily required review process, the WIFIA Selection Committee chose the following 13 prospective borrowers’ projects to submit applications for loans in EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region:

City of Phoenix; Water Main Replacement Program; $49 million (Arizona)
San Mateo-Foster City Public Financing Authority; San Mateo Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade and Expansion Project; $277 million (California)
Coachella Valley Water District; Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel Improvement Project; $22 million (California)
Poseidon Resources (Channelside) LP; Carlsbad Intake Project; $32 million (California)
City of Stockton Public Financing Authority; Regional Wastewater Control Facility Modifications Project; $53 million (California)
Silicon Valley Clean Water; SVCW RESCU; $181 million (California)
City of Sunnyvale; Sunnyvale Cleanwater Program Phase 2; $166 million (California)
San Juan Water District; Hinkle and Kokila Reservoir Rehabilitation and Replacement; $12 million (California)
City of Los Angeles; Donald C. Tillman Advanced Water Purification Facility; $185 million (California)
Inland Empire Utilities Agency; RP-5 Expansion Project; $138 million (California)
Sanitation District No. 2 of Los Angeles County; Joint Water Pollution Control Plant Effluent Outfall Tunnel; $426 million (California)
City of Antioch; Brackish Water Desalination Project; $32 million (California)
Coachella Valley Water District; North Indio Regional Flood Control Project; $29 million (California)
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan and guarantee program at EPA that aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. EPA’s WIFIA loans will allow large and small communities across the country to implement projects to address two national water priorities – providing for clean and safe drinking water including reducing exposure to lead and other contaminants and addressing aging water infrastructure.

To date, EPA has issued four loans totaling over $1 billion in WIFIA credit assistance. Combined, these four projects will create over 5,000 jobs.

According to EPA’s estimate of national drinking water and wastewater needs, over $743 billion is needed for water infrastructure improvements. EPA’s WIFIA program plays an important part in fulfilling this need and in the President’s Infrastructure Plan, which calls for expanding project eligibility.