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DEEP says Clean Water Fund remains largest capital program; municipalities urged to use priority list
Summary
DEEP staff described the Clean Water Fund's role financing wastewater treatment plants and supporting municipalities, noted separate drinking water state revolving funds managed by Department of Public Health, and said municipalities face about $10 billion in wastewater needs over 20 years.
Officials for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection told the subcommittee that the Clean Water Fund is the agency's largest capital program, financing upgrades at wastewater treatment plants and supporting municipalities with low-cost loans, grants and technical assistance.
Graham Stevens, DEEP chief of water protection and land reuse, said the fund is used to upgrade 93 wastewater treatment plants and associated systems and that municipalities reported roughly $10 billion in needs over the next 20 years when surveyed in 2022. He said the Department of Public Health uses the drinking water state revolving fund to upgrade public water systems, and DEEP and DPH coordinate where appropriate.
DEEP maintains an annual priority list for Clean Water Fund projects and offers a range of supports from technical assistance to low-interest financing and direct grants in aid. Stevens told legislators the program operates within a statutory and regulatory framework that defines eligibility, formulas and match requirements.
Why it matters: municipalities rely on Clean Water Fund financing for federally required upgrades, system capacity projects and stormwater and flood-related improvements. DEEP staff said aging pipes and leaky systems can limit the ability of communities to add housing or development without infrastructure upgrades.
Stevens also described stormwater concerns and DEEP's support for local stormwater authorities, which some communities may establish to create dedicated local revenue streams. He said DEEP also supports municipal planning and technical assistance on stormwater and capacity issues.
Ending: DEEP offered to provide the committee with recent priority lists and to work with communities to place projects on the Clean Water Fund priority list or to advise on alternate funding sources for sewer upgrades.
