BOSTON (Feb. 20, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $50 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Maine drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The funding is part of the over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—the largest such investment in American history. Today’s announcement will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda continues to transform communities for the better with this latest infusion of funds for critical water infrastructure projects,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With $50 billion in total, the largest investment in water infrastructure in our nation’s history, EPA will enable communities across the nation to ensure safer drinking water for their residents and rebuild vital clean water infrastructure to protect public health for decades to come.”
“Outdated infrastructure and aging pipes that fail; climate change impacts that cause sewer systems to overflow; emerging contaminants, like PFAS, that may affect our health—these are challenges that communities across our region face every day, especially in underserved and disadvantaged communities. With today’s announcement, we are allocating over $408 million of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds to combat these challenges with much-needed water infrastructure projects across New England,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “Every person, every child deserves safe and clean drinking water; and together with our state and local partners, we are financing upgrades to wastewater treatment plants, replacing old and aging water mains, and developing new filtration sites to remove contaminants from drinking water to make that a reality.”
“In Maine, we pride ourselves on clean, safe water – it’s a cornerstone of public health and our economy,” said Governor Janet Mills. “My Administration looks forward to working with partners across the state to use this significant investment to upgrade our essential water infrastructure, and, in the process, make our communities, our economy, and our environment stronger and healthier. I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for its investment in Maine and our Congressional Delegation for their support of this crucial law.”
“The increased funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be put to good use across the state to upgrade Maine’s wastewater infrastructure. This infrastructure is critical to protect the waters of the state, protect public health, and support our economy,” said Melanie Loyzim Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
Communities across the country are facing water infrastructure challenges. Many cities and towns have aging water infrastructure—old, broken or lead pipes carrying drinking water and wastewater treatment plants in need of major upgrades. Some communities struggle to maintain adequate stormwater infrastructure to effectively manage flood impacts from climate change and others need to upgrade their water treatment to address emerging contaminants like PFAS.
The funding EPA announced for Maine is part of a $5.8 billion investment through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), one of EPA’s signature water investment programs. This multi-billion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs to address key challenges, with $2.6 billion going to the Clean Water SRF for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure and $3.2 billion going to the Drinking Water SRF for drinking water infrastructure nationwide. Today’s announcement includes allotments for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law General Supplemental funds and Emerging Contaminant funds for SRF programs for fiscal year 2024. EPA anticipates announcing allocations for billions of dollars in additional resources for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Lead Service Line Replacement fund later this spring.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Action in Maine
Since 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has injected nearly $194 million into water infrastructure projects across Maine—protecting public health, preserving water resources, and creating jobs—including:
- $11 million to the City of Saco, Maine, for a wastewater treatment facility upgrade
- $1.7 million to Livermore Falls, Maine, for replacement of aging water main infrastructure
- $520,000 to Dexter Utility District for water main replacement/upgrades on Gould Avenue
To view stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s new Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Storymap. To read more about some additional projects that are underway, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.
Background
The Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. SRF programs are critically important programs for investing in the nation’s water infrastructure. They are designed to generate significant and sustainable water quality and public health benefits across the country. Their impact is amplified by the growth inherent in a revolving loan structure—payment of principal and interest on loans made are available to address future needs.
For more information, including state-by-state allocation of 2024 funding, and a breakdown of EPA State Revolving Fund funding available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund website and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund website.