The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two important Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans.

#1. Oregon

The first loan of $319 million was granted to the City of Portland. The funding will assist Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties in Oregon by facilitating the construction of the Bull Run Treatment Projects. The project includes a new filtration facility and pipelines designed to filter water from Portland's Bull Run supply. The Bull Run Watershed serves as the primary drinking water supply for nearly one million people in the metro area. 

  • Unlike many reservoirs in the West, rainwater (not snowmelt), provides the majority of the water inside the reservoir. The new funding will keep the water supply in compliance with federal and state safe drinking water standards by removing Cryptosporidium before the water reaches customers.

“Securing another major WIFIA loan for the Bull Run Treatment Program is a huge step forward in our work to ensure clean, safe, and reliable water for Oregonians,” Sen. Jeff Merkley said during the City of Portland's press conference on the topic. 

This is the second loan the Bull Run Treatment Project has received from the EPA. According to Portland's government site, this project will create over 6,100 jobs.

According to the EPA, its Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has provided nearly $21 billion in funding to back $45 billion worth of water infrastructure projects since it started in 2014. These investments are aimed at enhancing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems and have generated over 150,000 jobs nationwide.

#2. Delaware

The second loan of $12 million is to support New Castle County, Delaware. This is Delaware's first WIFIA loan, and it'll serve over 50% of the state's population by upgrading the Christina River Sewer Main.

The project aims to enhance wastewater service reliability for about 330,000 residents while reducing the risk of sewer overflows into the Christina River. Workers will install around 2,000 feet of 84-inch force main piping.

 “Our quality of life depends on reliable water infrastructure that keeps our local waterways free of sewer discharges,” said Zach Schafer, EPA Director of Policy for EPA Water.