CHICAGO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $39 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District in central Illinois. This WIFIA loan will help finance the district’s Wastewater System Modernization and Rehabilitation Program, which will provide essential public health and environmental protections while supporting economic growth.
“Investing in water infrastructure is one of the best bets we can make to help our communities grow and thrive,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “Through our WIFIA program and historic funding delivered by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is investing in communities across the country to provide clean and safe water that is essential to residents, schools, and businesses. I’m excited that Bloomington, Illinois, has secured a $39 million WIFIA loan to upgrade wastewater treatment and better protect residents and the local environment.”
Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District’s modernization and rehabilitation program will upgrade the wastewater system that serves over 130,000 residents. The district will rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plant and conveyance systems to comply with environmental regulations, increase system resiliency, and reduce combined sewer overflows. By converting backup generators from diesel fuel to natural gas and generating solar power, the district will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, while improving air quality. Additionally, the district will conduct a study to identify sources of PFAS and recommend strategies to reduce discharges of these “forever chemicals” to local waters.
“The district’s primary mission is the long-term protection of public health and the environment. Borrowing through the WIFIA program enables the accelerated renovation of aged facilities and construction of new facilities to meet and/or exceed NPDES permit standards,” said Tim Ervin, Executive Director of the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. “Through the strong support of Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin of this EPA program, the construction and installation of this infrastructure will preserve and improve the water quality of Sugar and Little Kickapoo Creek for future generations in Central Illinois.”
With this loan, the district expects to save $10 million and create about 250 jobs. It is the first Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan under a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act master agreement that will commit $157 million accelerate rehabilitating the district’s wastewater system.
Since its creation, EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program has announced over $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs.
EPA’s WIFIA loans are an important piece of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work Investing in America this Infrastructure Week. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed in November of 2021, provides $50 billion to invest in water infrastructure. Today, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded projects are breaking ground nationwide while tackling legacy pollution, upgrading drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and making communities more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program 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. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs.
EPA is currently in its 7th selection round for WIFIA financing. In this round, EPA is offering $6.5 billion through WIFIA, and $1 billion through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.
In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
###