U.S. EPA Invites California to Apply for Water Infrastructure Loans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting California to apply for a total of $695 million in water infrastructure loans through a new infrastructure financing authority. This innovative program, known as SWIFIA, will help finance infrastructure projects to improve water quality and protect public health in communities across California.

“The new SWIFIA program leverages the flexibility and low interest rates of WIFIA and the local experience and expertise of the state revolving funds to invest in our local communities,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “This SWIFIA funding will help finance over $3.2 billion in water infrastructure investments across the states of California, Iowa, and Rhode Island, while creating more than 2,000 jobs.”

“Through the SWIFIA program, EPA continues to deliver on its commitment to rebuilding and improving California’s water infrastructure,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud.“The projects funded by SWIFIA will help us build stronger economies, create new jobs, and protect public health.”

EPA’s SWIFIA loans are exclusively for state infrastructure financing authority borrowers, commonly known as State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. The new SWIFIA loans will allow the financing of more infrastructure projects.  These state programs will combine state resources, annual capitalization grant dollars, and the SWIFIA loans to accelerate investment in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

For more information about the SWIFIA program, visit https://www.epa.gov/wifia/what-swifia.

For more information on the DWSRF, visit https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf.

For more information on the CWSRF, visit https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf.