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Meramec Funding Sources

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)

Aug. 1, 2019
By EPA

Story summary:

  • The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act’s purpose is to accelerate investment in our nations water and wastewater infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance under customized terms to creditworthy water and wastewater projects of national and regional significance.

Quick Facts

EPA Mission
Protect human health and the environment 

Eligibility
Local governments, State governments, Federal governments, Nonprofits, Corporations, Trusts, SRF programs 

What do they fund?
Acquisition of real property, Project planning, Engineering, Design, Feasibility studies, Environmental reviews, Revenue forecasting, Consulting fees, Construction, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Replacement, and more 

What do they not fund?
Dams, Reservoirs, Fire protection, Future growth projects 

Length of Funding
Max 35-year final maturity date from substantial completion

Max 5-year repayment deferment 

Amount of Funding
$20M minimum for large communities

$5M minimum for small communities (pop. 25,000 or less)

Max. portion of eligible project costs WIFIA can fund is 49% 

Interest Rate 
Typically only 30% of the AAA municipal market rate

Admin costs are 0.5 percent of outstanding loan balance, annually 

Timing 
In 2019, EPA will accept letters of intent for 90 days after publication in Federal Register.

About

The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program is a credit program to improve the water and wastewater systems in the U.S.

In 2019 the prioritized projects included:

  • Water reuse and recycling
  • Reducing lead exposure
  • Addressing emerging contaminants
  • Updating aging infrastructure

Municipal governments can come together under one application. Take advantage of working watershed-wide!

WIFIA can fund:

  • Projects that are eligible for Clean Water SRF
  • Acquisition of property if it is integral to the project or will mitigate the environmental impact of a project
  • A combination of projects secured by a common security pledge or submitted under one application by an SRF program
Incorporate green infrastructure and healthy watershed opportunities into WIFIA projects through site design. For example, green roof, pervious pavement, conservation of large tracts of open land can be included in project scope.

Project Examples

More Info/Resources

Contact Info

WIFIA Program Contact
Karen Fligger
202-564-2992
WIFIA@epa.gov

Consult your community’s attorney and financial advisors prior to moving forward with any of these funding options. Any reference in this website to any person, or organization, or activities, products, or services related to such person or organization, or any linkages from this website to the website of another party, do not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of companies or organizations.
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