LOUISIANA (KTAL/KMSS) — Louisiana was awarded unprecedented funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which announced $69,422,000 from President Biden to transform drinking water and water infrastructure upgrades.

According to the EPA, this funding is part of the over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is the most significant investment in American history.

The $69.4 million will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health water bodies across the state.

According to the news release, almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure.

“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.”

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund's quarterly report lists four projects that have started work between July 2023 and September 2023.

Projects in Louisiana underway include:

• A $4.2 million investment into West Feliciana to improve water efficiency and reduce customer water loss.
• $2.3 million to Calcasieu Parish to replace approximately 1.5 miles of deteriorated distribution pipe and associated appurtenances.
• $6.6 million to Lafayette Parish to construct a new water treatment plant consisting of installing three water wells designed to produce approximately 1000 gallons per minute and construction of a 2 million per day water treatment plant; two 500,000 gallon ground storage tanks and high service back pumps, a backwash settling basin and more.
• $3.5 million to St. Tammy Parish to construct a new water well capable of producing 500 GPM new chlorine gas disinfection equipment and enclosure, associated site work, and miscellaneous mechanical and electrical components.

More projects will be made available on the EPA investment map in the future.

EPA stated communities across the country are facing water infrastructure challenges. Many cities and towns have aging water infrastructure – old, broken, or lead pipes carrying drinking water and wastewater treatment plants needing significant upgrades. 

Some communities struggle to maintain adequate stormwater infrastructure to manage climate change flood impacts; others must upgrade their water treatment to address emerging contaminants like PFAS.

According to a news release, 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 State Revolving Funds (SRF) for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure and $3.2 billion going to the Drinking Water SRF for drinking water infrastructure nationwide.