EPA
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $56,829,000 from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for Kansas drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades.
The funding is part of the over $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest such investment in American history. Today’s announcement will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring that 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.”
“State Revolving Funds make water protection and progress possible for cities of all sizes,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meghan A. McCollister. “We’re already seeing water projects funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Kansas cities as large as Wichita and as small as Oketo. This over $56 million investment will allow Kansans to continue to address the needs and challenges that arise with aging water infrastructure.”
“Investments that provide long-term, sustainable solutions are critical to addressing the water quality and quantity crisis in Kansas,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. “These funds provide additional resources for the work my administration is doing to ensure Kansans have safe, accessible drinking water.”
“From the water in our taps to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our lives,” said U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3). “People don’t always realize how important those systems are until they fail – but it’s our responsibility to ensure they never get to that point. I am glad to welcome investments from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to help deliver cleaner drinking water, safer stormwater systems, and better wastewater management to our communities.”
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 in need of major upgrades. Some communities struggle to maintain adequate stormwater infrastructure to effectively manage flood impacts from climate change and others need to upgrade their water treatment to address emerging contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The funding EPA announced for Kansas is part of a $5.8 billion investment through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs), which are among EPA’s signature water investment programs. This multi-billion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs to address key 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 Kansas
Since 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has injected over $218 million into water infrastructure projects across the state, protecting public health, preserving water resources, and creating jobs.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded SRF projects that are underway in Kansas include:
- Crowley County, Kansas: The cities of Arkansas City and Winfield will use over $1.2 million to help fund the construction of a 200,000-gallon water tower at Strother Field Airport/Industrial Park (owned jointly by the two cities) to replace the existing water tower.
- Douglas County, Kansas: The city of Lawrence will use $500,000 to help conduct lead service line inventory activities.
- Johnson County, Kansas: Water District #1 of Johnson County will use over $1.8 million to help replace main distribution lines within the county.
- Marshall County, Kansas: The city of Oketo will use $500,000 to help rehabilitate water system infrastructure, including a well and water storage facility, as part of the second phase of their water system improvements. The city of Vermillion will use $3 million to help replace approximately 3 miles of distribution lines and associated valves, fire hydrants, and service lines.
- Osborne County, Kansas: The city of Portis will use $500,000 to help replace water mains, valves, meters, and fire hydrants, as part of the third phase of their water system improvements.
- Pratt County, Kansas: The city of Sawyer will use $500,000 to help upgrade well infrastructure, including existing service connections and meters.
- Sedgwick County, Kansas: The city of Wichita will use $65 million to help rehabilitate two wastewater facilities.
To read more about some additional projects that are underway across the country, see EPA’s recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.To view stories about how the unpreceded investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA’s new Investing in America’s Water Infrastructure StoryMap.
