On 19 June 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 12 projects in nine states eligible for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans. California-based projects represent the majority of the applications.
The US$25 million federal outlay for 12 projects from WIFIA represents a fraction of what is required by municipal utilities. According to Bluefield’s 2016 ten-year CAPEX forecast, US$532 billion is planned for municipal utility water & wastewater infrastructure, of which approximately US$50 billion, is expected to be supported through state revolving funds (low interest loans) and other grants.
In this Research Note, Bluefield water experts the impact of the loans on water infrastructure needs and investment.
