The loans will be provided to the cities of Sunnyvale, San Mateo, and Foster City in Northern California
The loans are expected to support water quality, and the environment in the three cities.(Credit: Hermann Hammer from Pixabay)
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced three loans totaling $497m across the cities of Sunnyvale, San Mateo, and Foster City in Northern California, to help improve wastewater management.
Offered under Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), the loans are expected to support water quality, and the environment in the three cities.
With the new WIFIA loans, EPA is providing $7.7bn in credit assistance to help finance $16.6bn for water infrastructure.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said: “WIFIA loans are playing a critical role in President Trump’s commitment to improving America’s environmental health and upgrading the nation’s infrastructure.
“Water quality issues in the Bay have been a specific concern for me and the administration and I am glad these loans will benefit the health and wellbeing of these communities.”
EPA to provide $220m to the City of Sunnyvale
EPA has agreed to provide $220m to the City of Sunnyvale. The loan will finance the Sunnyvale Cleanwater Program, which includes a series of long-term projects to upgrade wastewater treatment plant in the city.
The loan will be used to upgrade the existing secondary and tertiary treatment facilities, construction of new secondary and biosolids handling facilities and rebuilding support facilities necessary to operate the plant.
Nearly half of the total project cost of $450m will be covered by the EPA loan. The remaining funds are expected to come from revenue bonds and system funds.
Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein said: “Federal support is essential for critical infrastructure projects like our Cleanwater Program – the largest capital project in our City’s history.
“This partnership with EPA helps us continue to serve our community, protect the South San Francisco Bay and meet our long-term sustainability goals.”
For the City of San Mateo and the Foster City, the US governmental agency has agreed to provide a total of $277m.
San Mateo will receive nearly $210m and the remaining $67m will be allocated to the Foster City.
The funding will help San Mateo to upgrade its aging wastewater treatment plant and support expansion of wastewater treatment plant to include new treatment facilities to meet the present and future requirements.