Biden-Harris Administration Announces $145 Million for Water Infrastructure in Illinois Through Investing in America Agenda

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $145 Million for Water Infrastructure in Illinois Through Investing in America Agenda

October 23, 2024

WASHINGTON (Oct. 23, 2024) -Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $3.6 billion in new funding under the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade water infrastructure and keep communities safe. Combined with $2.6 billion announced earlier this month, this $6.2 billion in investments for Fiscal Year 2025 will help communities across the country upgrade water infrastructure that is essential to safely managing wastewater, protecting local freshwater resources, and delivering safe drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses.

These Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, a long-standing federal-state water investment partnership. This multibillion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs that address key challenges in financing water infrastructure. Today's announcement includes allotments for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Clean Water General Supplemental funds for Illinois ($112,540,000), Emerging Contaminant funds ($9,714,000) and $23,186,000 under the Drinking Water Emerging Contaminant Fund.

This funding is part of a five-year, $50 billion investment in water infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - the largest investment in water infrastructure in American history. To ensure investments reach communities that need them the most, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law mandates that a majority of the funding announced today must be provided to disadvantaged communities in the form of grants or loans that do not have to be repaid.

"Water keeps us healthy, sustains vibrant communities and dynamic ecosystems, and supports economic opportunity. When our water infrastructure fails, it threatens people's health, peace of mind, and the environment," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. "With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's historic investment in water, EPA is working with states and local partners to upgrade infrastructure and address local challenges-from lead in drinking water, to PFAS, to water main breaks, to sewer overflows and climate resilience. Together, we are creating good-paying jobs while ensuring that all people can rely on clean and safe water."

"Investing in water infrastructure keeps our communities healthy," said Sen. Dick Durbin. "Today's historic investment, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will allow for much needed water infrastructure upgrades throughout Illinois, ensuring we are protecting freshwater resources, efficiently managing our wastewater systems, and have clean and safe drinking water for schools and homes."

"Every American-regardless of their race, income or zip code-deserves to know the systems that carry and process their water are safe, clean and reliable," said Sen. Tammy Duckworth. "This is why I pushed to have my Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act included in President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and why I will continue to advocate for greater federal investment to update our local water infrastructure. I'm glad to see this critical funding coming to Illinois, and I look forward to helping ensure more investments like these benefit communities throughout our entire state."

"Every Illinoisan and American deserves clean, safe drinking water so that they can thrive," said Rep. Danny K. Davis. "I am proud to have helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure law that is investing billions of dollars to upgrade water infrastructure, and I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration's impressive investment of $3.6 billion in drinking water and clean water for the people across our nation and over $145 million for Illinois."

"Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration's historic Infrastructure Law, an additional $145 million will be distributed to Illinois to upgrade our water infrastructure. Nobody should have to worry about whether the water they drink is clean. Access to clean water is a basic human right," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. "Today's investment will help ensure our wastewater is safely managed and that the drinking water delivered to our homes, schools, and businesses is safe. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that we protect our water quality for today and for our future generations."

"In Illinois, too many communities lack access to clean, safe drinking water," said Rep. Mike Quigley. "Thankfully, the Biden Administration is using the power of the Infrastructure Law to act on this issue. This newly announced funding will allow underserved communities throughout Illinois to obtain the resources they need to improve their water systems, ensuring that every resident can enjoy safe and reliable drinking water. This is a crucial step toward equity and public health, and it underscores the EPA's commitment to uplifting communities across the nation."

"Every community deserves sustainable water infrastructure that prioritizes public health and protects the environment," said Rep. Bill Foster. "That's why I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is now providing over $145 million for communities across Illinois to upgrade their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. These projects will ensure Illinois has the resources it needs to preserve our lakes, rivers, and streams, and provide clean water for decades to come."

"I am proud that Illinoisans are continuing to benefit from the investments that Congress made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law," said Rep. Brad Schneider. "Following passage of the law, I advocated to the EPA for implementation guidance that would ensure states with the highest need, including Illinois, receive the funding they deserve to upgrade local water infrastructure. Now, with today's announcement of $145 million in federal funding for Illinois, residents will have better water infrastructure to support their health and local environment."

"Access to safe and clean drinking water is a human right. The funds announced today for Illinois from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be crucial to bring safe drinking water to more families in our state and protect our children's health. Repairing aging water infrastructure in our state will also help withstand the emerging and worsening challenges climate change is posing for every community," saidRep. Jesús "Chuy" García. "As a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in Congress, I will continue working to ensure this historical legislation is implemented equitably and strategically."

"Access to clean water is crucial for American communities," said Rep. Sean Casten. "I'm proud to see over $145 million in federal funding come to Illinois to expand access to safe drinking water thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law."

EPA is changing the odds for communities that have faced barriers to planning and accessing federal funding through its Water Technical Assistance program, which helps disadvantaged communities identify water challenges, develop infrastructure upgrade plans, and apply for funding. Communities seeking Water Technical Assistance can request support by completing the WaterTA request form. These efforts also advance the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative, which sets the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

To read stories about how unprecedented investments in water from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are transforming communities across the country, visit EPA's Investing in America's Water Infrastructure Storymap. To read more about additional projects, see EPA's recently released Quarterly Report on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF projects.

For more information, including the state-by-state allocation of 2025 funding and a breakdown of EPA SRF funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, please visit the Clean Water State Revolving Fund website and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund website. Additionally, the SRF Public Portal allows users to access data from both the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs through interactive reports, dashboards, and maps.

The State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs have been the foundation of water infrastructure investments for more than 30 years, providing low-cost financing for local projects across America. SRF programs are critically important programs for investing in the nation's water infrastructure. They are designed to generate significant and sustainable water quality and public health benefits across the country. Their impact is amplified by the growth inherent in a revolving loan structure, in which payments of principal and interest on loans become available to address future needs.