EPA Announces $52M WIFIA Loan To Pittsburgh Water And Sewer Authority

Water infrastructure projects slated to create 500 jobs in Pittsburgh; When combined with other funding sources, the WIFIA program has supported more than $38B for America’s water infrastructure

Today in Pittsburgh, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox, joined by U.S. Representative Summer Lee, Mayor Ed Gainey and local leaders announced a $52M Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA). This investment will help upgrade and replace aging water infrastructure to ensure that residents and businesses can rely on safe drinking water. When combined with other funding sources, the WIFIA program has supported more than $38B for America’s water infrastructure. EPA estimates that associated infrastructure projects will create 500 jobs.

“Here in Pittsburgh, decades-old water infrastructure threatens drinking water that is essential to healthy residents and thriving communities,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “EPA’s $52M WIFIA loan alongside an investment from the state revolving fund (SRF) will support critical infrastructure upgrades to help the city achieve long-term water resilience. Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is strengthening water infrastructure and creating jobs in communities across the country through an additional $50B under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support the SRFs and water grant programs.”

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is rebuilding infrastructure and boosting U.S. competitiveness while creating good-paying jobs. EPA’s WIFIA loan will help modernize Pittsburgh’s drinking water distribution infrastructure, including upgrading the Bruecken Pump Station, replacing two water mains, and rehabilitating the Highland II Reservoir liner and cover.

These projects are also critical for the eventual replacement of the city’s 115-year-old clearwell that stores treated water before it is distributed throughout the city. The Clearwell Replacement Project will improve the reliability and redundancy of the drinking water supply system, support compliance with regulatory requirements, and improve water quality.

“Every Pennsylvanian has the right to clean, safe water,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (PA). “This major federal investment in Pittsburgh’s water infrastructure will upgrade or replace aging water mains, water storage facilities, and more to expand access to clean drinking water for children and families across the city—and create jobs while doing it.”

“This federal funding will help Pittsburgh provide clean and safe water to residents and businesses across the region,” said U.S. Senator John Fetterman (PA). “We’ve got to do everything we can to make sure our communities everywhere, no matter how rural, urban, or suburban, have clean drinking water. This critical investment, combined with unprecedented funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will upgrade aging infrastructure and help get us there.”

“I’m proud to help deliver a $52M WIFIA funding award to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to make sure every household has clean water and to modernize the drinking water infrastructure in the city,” said U.S. Representative Summer Lee (PA-12). “A few months ago, we celebrated a significant milestone, the replacement of 10,000 lead service lines in Pittsburgh, which is a testament to accountability, action, and the acknowledgment of past wrongs. This funding represents a monumental effort in partnership across all levels of government, demonstrating our commitment to righting an injustice and ensuring clean and safe water for every single household and every one of our communities.”

In addition to EPA’s $52M WIFIA loan, PWSA secured $93M for this project through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (also known as the state revolving fund). These low-cost funding programs allow PWSA to make critical infrastructure investments while supporting water affordability goals. EPA’s WIFIA loan itself will save the city approximately $20M.

“Every Pennsylvanian has a constitutional right to clean air and pure water, and the Shapiro Administration is working with our federal partners to safeguard this right all across the Commonwealth,” said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Rich Negrin. “This WIFIA loan will allow Pittsburgh to protect its water infrastructure and deliver clean water to residents and business owners while saving taxpayer money. We’re grateful for the EPA’s critical investment in the Pittsburgh community and look forward to working together to improve infrastructure across the Commonwealth as we ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to a clean water supply.”

“We thank the EPA for recognizing the importance of our infrastructure investments and supporting the series of large-scale upgrades to Pittsburgh’s water system in the coming years,” said CEO for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority Will Pickering. “Pursuing alternative funding methods for system improvements is crucial for water utilities to make needed investments while saving ratepayers money. This funding will allow us to move from a reactive mode to a proactive one, ensuring safe and reliable water service for future generations.”

Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program (https://www.epa.gov/wifia) and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure).

Background
Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program’s aim is to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.

In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. It’s been almost 19 months since President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50B investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.