EPA announces nearly $45 Million for Nevada drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure upgrades

Feb 20, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO, CA– Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced nearly $45 million ($44,083,000) from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Nevada drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. This historic funding is part of over $50 billion in water infrastructure upgrade investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest investment in American history. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach disadvantaged and underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure. This vital funding will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state.

“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.”

"All people deserve the peace of mind that the water they drink, swim and bathe in, and use to feed their families is safe, readily available, and clean," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is making this a reality for tens of millions of Americans throughout the Pacific Southwest, especially those that need it the most. In partnership with communities and state leaders, we're investing in cutting-edge technology, infrastructure, and nature-based solutions to provide sustainable, clean water that will improve the health and quality of life for communities and the environment."

“Nevada families deserve access to safe drinking water. I’m glad to have helped deliver this funding to protect access to clean water for families, businesses, and Tribes in Nevada,” said U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “These federal dollars will help upgrade our water infrastructure and protect our water resources.”

“Every Nevadan deserves to have access to clean water,” said U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen. “I’m proud to have helped secure millions of dollars for Nevada from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to deliver safe drinking water to families and communities across our state.”

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“The infusion of funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to significantly benefit Nevada's residents and visitors,” said Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) Chief Bureau of Administrative Services Sheryl Fontaine. “With these awards, NDEP will have received more than $81 million to boost the work of the SRFs, funding projects to protect water quality and public health, and rehabilitate aging infrastructure. NDEP will continue to assist Nevada's water systems with improving and maintaining high-quality drinking water, wastewater, and other water infrastructure.”

Communities across the country are facing urgent water infrastructure challenges. Many cities and towns have aging water infrastructure – old, broken, or lead pipes carrying drinking water and wastewater treatment plants needing major upgrades. Some communities struggle to maintain adequate stormwater infrastructure to manage flood impacts from climate change effectively; others need to upgrade their water treatment to address emerging contaminants like PFAS.

The funding EPA announced for Nevada 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 critical 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 Nevada

Since 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has injected nearly $186 million ($185,643,000) into water infrastructure projects across Nevada, protecting public health, preserving water resources, and creating jobs.

For example, the Las Vegas Valley Water District received funds to construct a drinking well on the banks of the Colorado River. The well receives clean water through natural riverbank filtration that removes contaminants. This warrants additional storage of the treated well water through an additional $1.2 million ($1,232,000) 100% subsidy loan. The project will greatly expand the capacity to store clean drinking water for the community, improving their health and quality of life for decades to come.

To view some stories about how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has impacted communities across the country, access the Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure Storymap here. For additional projects, see this Quarterly Report.

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Background

The Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and the Clean Water State Revolving Funds have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for over 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. SRF programs are critically important for investing in the nation’s water infrastructure. They are designed to generate significant sustainable water quality and public health benefits nationwide. The inherent structure of revolving loans amplifies their growth by making the payment of principal and interest on loans available to address future needs.