The funding will support the community to protect public health and the environment by providing safe drinking water and dependable wastewater services
EPA provides $16m water infrastructure loan to City of Cortland. (Credit: Pixabay/S. Hermann & F. Richter)
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a $16m water infrastructure loan to the City of Cortland, New York, to support a portfolio of sewer rehabilitation and water main replacement projects.
The agency has provided the loan under Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) that will support the community to protect public health and the environment by providing safe drinking water and dependable wastewater services.
Clinton Avenue Gateway project will replace existing infrastructure
EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler said: “Through WIFIA, EPA is playing a key role in President Trump’s efforts to improve and upgrade our nation’s water infrastructure and support communities both large and small.
“With this loan closing, EPA has now issued 20 WIFIA loans totaling $4.2 billion in credit assistance to help finance $9.4 billion for water infrastructure projects while creating 19,000 jobs.”
The Clinton Avenue Gateway project will replace the aged water mains, sanitary sewers and storm drainage with a new water main, services, hydrants and valves.
The project aims to replace the existing infrastructure, which has exceeded its useful life.
The agency said that the existing water mains and sewer systems have been in place for more than one hundred years and are at risk of failure due to age and use.
The project is designed to provide proper water and sewer main separation, reduce treatment costs for water and wastewater and helps to improve public health and environmental protections.
The Clinton Avenue Gateway project is estimated to cost $38m.
Additionally, New York Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the New York Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and other state funds are expected to provide a combination of loans and grants funding of around $18m.
Recently, EPA has agreed to provide $280m funding under WIFIA loan to the City of Wichita, Kansas.