Columbus, Ohio – Congresswoman Shontel Brown and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have made a groundbreaking announcement that will help Ohio’s efforts to improve its water systems in a significant manner. The state will get a large amount of money—more than $210 million—that will be used to improve water infrastructure. This extra money is a direct result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which shows that both parties are working together to meet important infrastructure needs.
In more specific terms, the EPA has laid out a plan that makes sure almost half of the money will be given out as grants or loans that don’t need to be paid back. This approach is especially meant to help communities that aren’t getting enough help and need their water infrastructure to be fixed right away. Such financial arrangements are likely to make a big difference, letting these communities get improvements they need without having to pay a lot of money for them.
The EPA has promised to invest a total of $5.8 billion, which includes the $210 million set aside for Ohio. The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) give out these funds. The SRF is an important part of the EPA’s work to improve water infrastructure across the country. More specifically, $2.6 billion has been set aside for the Clean Water SRF to help solve problems with wastewater and stormwater systems. The Drinking Water SRF, on the other hand, will get $3.2 billion to improve infrastructure for drinking water. This smart allocation of funds shows that the many problems with water infrastructure that communities across the country are being dealt with in a comprehensive way.
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More information is easily accessible for those who want to learn more about the specifics of this funding, such as how it will be split up among the states in 2024. People who are interested should go to the websites for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. These platforms give clear information about how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s funding mechanisms for the EPA work, showing how these important investments will be made.
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Through the work of Congresswoman Shontel Brown, the EPA, and the support of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Ohio’s water infrastructure is about to go through a big change. Along with a big financial investment, this money is also a promise to make Ohio’s water systems safer and more reliable for everyone, with a focus on helping those who need it the most.