The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it is providing $13.9 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia to improve water quality.
This grant, along with $2.8 million in state match, is awarded to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to further capitalize its revolving loan fund which provides low-interest loans for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities, nonpoint source and estuary projects and other water quality management work.
“EPA is committed to helping communities get safe, clean water. These grants are important to maintaining public health, protecting and restoring healthy water quality and combating pollution,” said Donald S. Welsh, regional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlantic region.
DEQ will leverage the funds to issue bonds, which combined with these grants will make $252 million available for water quality project loans. The funding includes the EPA grant, state match, state bonds, repayments from prior loans, interest earnings and funds that have become available from prior years.
Projects supported by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund are vital to protect and improve water quality in our nation’s rivers, lakes and streams, for drinking, recreation and natural habitat.
In Virginia, more than $230 million will go to projects for enhanced treatment of wastewater to remove nutrients, ultimately benefiting the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Other projects to be funded will address sewer problems in local areas and a brownfield site in Alexandria.
