Nevada to get $38.9 million for water projects

By Mary Manning

Thursday, April 30, 2009 | 11:08 a.m.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today that Nevada will receive $38.9 million to finance overdue water improvement projects.

This new fund infusion could create jobs, boost local economies and improve aging water and wastewater systems to protect human health and the environment, said Laura Yoshii, acting regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency's Pacific Southwest region. The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

"This remarkable opportunity to provide much-needed support for sustainable water and energy-efficient drinking water and wastewater systems throughout the U.S. is unprecedented," Yoshii said. "This funding will allow Nevada to identify its highest infrastructure priorities, protect human health and surface water quality, address climate change and create critical green jobs as a foundation for a sustainable future."

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Administrator Leo Drozdoff said he was glad to see the Recovery Act funds. "The funds will be particularly helpful to our rural areas and disadvantaged communities," he said.

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $19.2 million. It provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control and watershed and estuary management.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program will receive $19.5 million. It provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.

EPA is also awarding $194,300 in Recovery Act funds for Water Quality Management Planning in Nevada. Planning is an important step in EPA's goal to improve water quality in America's lakes, rivers and streams. Planning grants support activities such as setting standards, monitoring the quality of the water, developing plans to restore polluted waters and identifying ways to protect healthy waters from becoming polluted. States are also encouraged to use these funds for more creative planning activities, such as developing plans to adapt to climate change, analyzing trends in water availability and use, and creating low-impact development programs. Grants are awarded to state agencies and some of the funds can be awarded to regional and interstate planning organizations.

A total of $6 billion will be awarded to fund water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the country under the Recovery Act. At least 20 percent of the funds are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on Feb. 17.

For more information about how Recovery Act funds are being invested, visit www.epa.gov/recovery.