Climate Adaptation Funding for Water Sector Utilities

Funding Resilience

The implementation of adaptive measures to address climate impact at water sector utilities are necessary to ensure clean and safe water provisions throughout the nation.

Listed below are funding programs and resources available through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and others. These Federal Funding Sources, along with EPA’s Financial Tools, will guide you to a variety of sources that fund climate resilience infrastructure projects, pay for operation and maintenance costs, and sustain resiliency programs. Click below to expand each section.

Federal Funding Sources

Environmental Protection Agency’s Funding Sources

• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a historic Federal Government investment in our nation’s water, providing over $50 billion to the EPA to improve drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money will be funneled mostly through the DWSRF and the CWSRF. Use this link to explore EPA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding allocations.
• The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) finances water infrastructure improvements that protect public health and comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act. State Revolving Fund programs are individually managed by the states and aid is provided directly from state agencies. Use this link to find your state’s DWSRF contact. 
• The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) finances water quality infrastructure improvement projects that target critical green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and other environmentally innovative endeavors. State Revolving Fund programs are individually managed by the states and aid is provided directly from state agencies. Use this link to find your state’s CWSRF contact. 
• The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) accelerates investment in water infrastructure by offering flexible financing for significant drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. WIFIA works with the State Revolving Fund programs to provide local, state, tribal, and federal government entities with subsidized financing for large, costly projects. Interested in learning more about WIFIA loans? Check out the program’s Upcoming Webinars or Office Hours sessions, or Schedule a Meeting with a staff member.

• Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) include both regional and national organizations that provide technical and financial assistance to communities, including tribal communities, that have historically struggled to secure public funding to support infrastructure improvements that safeguard public health and the environment. The EFCs are supported through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Use this link to find the EFC servicing your area. 

• EPA’s Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA)connects communities to experts who help assess and implement solutions for their drinking water, sewage, and stormwater needs. WaterTA initiatives support communities in identifying lead pipes for removal, enhancing resilience against cybersecurity threats, developing climate adaptation plans, assessing emerging contaminants, providing resources for workforce development, addressing stormwater challenges,  building capacity, and developing application materials to access water infrastructure funding, among other services.. Both new and existing WaterTA programs will be utilized to support effective implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Click to learn more about who can receive WaterTA, and request assistance through the WaterTA Request Form.  

Other Federal Agencies’ Funding Sources

• NASA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and its partners, offer competitive funding opportunities related to drought early warning research. Use this link to explore NIDIS opportunities.
• NOAA’s Climate Program Office (CPO) funds competitive research programs for climate science, assessments, decision support research, outreach, education, and capacity building activities that improve our understanding of Earth’s climate system and enable effective decision-making. The CPO provides notices of funding opportunities available in the coming fiscal year. Use this link to explore the opportunities.
• FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program provides grants to utilities working to reduce the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. Eligible BRIC applicants are states and territories that have had a major disaster declaration within the past seven years or are federally recognized tribes located in such states. Public utilities, and local governments on behalf of private utilities, may apply if the utilities’ projects are included in the local hazard mitigation plan.
• The Indian Health Service’s (IHS) Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) Program delivers environmental engineering services and sanitation facilities projects that ensure tribal communities have access to safe drinking water and waste disposal. The SFC program maintains a Sanitation Deficiency System, which tracks projects to address sanitation needs. IHS is situated within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for providing federal health services to members of federally recognized Native American Tribes and Alaska Native people.  
• The U.S. SBA provides financing for private for-profit and private non-profit drinking water and wastewater utilities to help return infrastructure and operations to their pre-disaster operability. This includes Business Physical Disaster Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
• USDA Rural Development’s Water and Environment Programs (WEP) helps rural communities, with populations of 10,000 or less, obtain technical assistance and financing necessary to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems. WEP’s grant programs are administered through National Office staff in Washington, D.C. and a network of field offices scattered throughout the States. Use this link to find your state or local field office and contact information for WEP support. For many states, WEP contact information is analogous to the broader Community Programs (CP) category.
• The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit is an inter-agency resource developed under the guidance of the United States Global Change Research Program (a partnership of thirteen Federal Agencies) and is managed by NOAA’s CPO. The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit lists government entities and private foundations that offer funding opportunities and technical resources to advance local adaptation and mitigation efforts. Click on the link to view current funding opportunities.