News Releases from Region 10
EPA awards $26 million to Oregon for critical water projects loans
For Immediate Release Contact: Bill Dunbar
10/12/2017 206-553-1019
SEATTLE – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it is awarding over $26 million to Oregon’s clean water and drinking water revolving funds to help finance improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment. The funds will be used to finance water quality protection and drinking water projects that will last far into the future.
"Investments in water infrastructure are part of our back-to-basics agenda that refocuses the agency on its intended mission”, said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “The money being provided will help Oregon continue to provide clean, safe drinking water and proper wastewater treatment that is important to protecting public health.”
The $26,682,000 in additional funding announced today will be used across Oregon for water quality projects that will reduce water pollution, improve municipal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, make projects more sustainable by increasing water and energy efficiency, and provide technical assistance to communities.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, administrated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, was awarded $14,977,000. The program provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects to make improvements to wastewater treatment systems, control pollution from rain water runoff, and protect sensitive water bodies and estuaries.
Since 1987, Oregon has received $477 million in annual CWSRF capitalization grants. Combined with state match and repayments, DEQ has provided more than 1.8 billion in low-interest CWSRF loans for water quality and wastewater projects. Some of the projects that have received funding through the CWSRF include the conversion of open irrigation channels to covered pipelines in the Central Oregon Irrigation District and Farmers Irrigation District, and wastewater treatment plant improvements in Bend and Monroe.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, jointly administrated by the Oregon Health Authority and Infrastructure Finance Authority, was awarded $11,705,000. The program provides low-interest loans to finance improvements to drinking water systems, with a particular focus on providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities.
DWSRF projects that have received funding from previous capitalization grants include an aquifer storage and recovery well for Beaverton, arsenic treatment for the City of Vale, a new water reservoir for Pendleton, and UV treatment to address cryptosporidium issues in Baker City.
In addition to providing grant funds through the SRFs and other programs, EPA technical experts and managers provide their expertise to local, state, and tribal grant recipients on strategy development, research, technical needs, and compliance and enforcement.
For a list of drinking water projects slated to be funded this year, please click here:
https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf
For a list of clean water projects slated to be funded this year, please click here: