Collins, King Applaud $19.6 Million for Maine Water Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the State of Maine will receive $19.6 million to support water infrastructure projects. The funds will be used to upgrade sewage plants and drinking water systems, replace aging infrastructure, and bolster water projects essential to environmental protection and public health safety across the state.

“Maintaining strong water infrastructure is critical to ensuring the health of Maine people,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “We welcome this funding from the EPA, which will help upgrade water treatment systems that will result in improved water quality and public health.”

The $19.6 million is distributed as follows:

• The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program, administrated by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Maine Municipal Bond Bank (MMBB), received $10.8 million. EPA’s funding provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects to make improvements to wastewater treatment systems, control pollution from stormwater runoff, and protect sensitive water bodies and estuaries.
   
• The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program, administrated by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and MMBB, received $8.8 million. EPA’s funding provides low-interest loans to finance improvements to drinking water systems, with a particular focus on providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.

According to the EPA, since the beginning of this program, approximately $497 million has been awarded to Maine for the construction, expansion and upgrading of clean water infrastructure resulting in decreased pollutant loadings to waterbodies throughout the state.