EPA Region 3 Awards Nearly $128M for Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Upgrades in the District of Columbia
Made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, new funding will help ensure communities have access to clean waterways and safe drinking water
PHILADELPHIA (November 29, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the District of Columbia $127,968,093 to support clean water efforts and to better deliver safe drinking water across the District. Most of this funding, $119,248,093 came from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which is the largest federal investment in water infrastructure in our nation’s history. This BIL funding will supplement the $8,720,000 in FY 2023 capitalization grants awarded to the District of Columbia for clean water and drinking water projects.
“These awards show that EPA is not just a regulator – but is a funder and partner,” said EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ensures communities most in need and those grappling with emerging contaminants such as PFAS have access to funding that will deliver cleaner and safer water for generations to come.”
EPA awards capitalization grants annually to the District for water infrastructure projects. Projects include remediating stormwater to protect stream water quality, increasing sewer capacity to prevent sewage overflows during storm events, and replacing lead service lines for homes across the city.
“The District of Columbia is pleased to receive this funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment Director Richard Jackson. “These funds will help to meet Mayor Bowser’s goal of restoring our rivers and streams so that they can be fully enjoyed by residents and visitors, as well as correct long standing environmental justice and equity issues, giving a fair shot to all of the District's residents.”
“The funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is critical for our efforts to ensure everyone in the District of Columbia has access to safe drinking water and clean waterways. This unprecedented federal investment in local water infrastructure supports our Lead Free DC program to replace thousands of lead service lines across the nation’s capital at no cost to customers. It will also help us replace aging water mains and make needed upgrades at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant,” said David L. Gadis, CEO and General Manager of DC Water.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers more than $50 billion to EPA to improve our nation’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure - the single largest investment in water that the federal government has ever made. Learn more about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
For more information on intended projects for this funding in the District of Columbia, please visit the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), https://doee.dc.gov/service/cwc, and the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water), https://www.dcwater.com/approved-fiscal-year-2023-2024-priority-project-list-intended-use-plan.