The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will waive application and processing fees for its Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program for small communities with 25,000 or fewer residents. This move aims to help these communities upgrade their drinking water and wastewater systems.
Supporting Small Communities
The waiver, which applies to fiscal years 2026 and 2027, will save small communities nearly $200,000 upfront. The EPA estimates that the fees previously acted as a barrier that deterred smaller, rural utilities from applying for the program.
According to EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer, “Small and rural communities are the backbone of America, and it is a top priority at the EPA to support access to clean, safe drinking water and wastewater services.” The WIFIA program provides long-term, low-cost supplemental credit for local and regional projects, and can fund up to 80 percent of a project’s total cost.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
