New Report: $9.6 Billion Available for Water Infrastructure Remains Uncommitted

States collectively have not committed $9.6 billion in available funding to invest in water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, according to a new report from the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Water Policy Program at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

States and the federal government invest in water infrastructure by providing subsidized loans and other financial assistance through State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. The funds are capitalized with federal grants, state contributions, and loan repayments, which replenish the pool of capital to finance infrastructure over time. Loan repayments are now the largest source of capital for SRFs. The bipartisan infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021 will provide states with an additional $55 billion in new funding for SRFs over the next five years.

The report was written by Katy Hansen (EPIC), Govind Sawhney (EPIC), Simon Warren (Duke University), and Martin Doyle (Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions).