Federal Water Funding Programs for Public Agencies
A practical guide to the federal programs that fund water infrastructure for public agencies and municipalities, and how ENS helps clients navigate them.
What Programs Are Available and How to Navigate Them
Federal funding for water infrastructure is spread across many programs, each with its own rules, timelines, and eligibility. This guide outlines the major programs and how ENS helps water agencies and municipalities navigate them.
Federal Water Funding Programs
The major federal funding sources for water infrastructure include:
Infrastructure Investment
EPA Water Infrastructure Programs
U.S.Department of Agriculture Community Facilities
Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
U.S Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART
How ENS Helps Water Agencies Access Federal Funding
ENS helps water agencies and municipalities make sense of this landscape: identifying which programs fit your projects, understanding eligibility and timing, and positioning applications within the federal process. We focus on navigation and advocacy, working alongside your technical and engineering teams.
Go Deeper: Federal Water Funding Resources
Federal Water Funding, Explained Plainly
What federal grants are available for water infrastructure?
Federal grants and loans for infrastructure are derived from several sources that include U.S EPA state revolving funds and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, USDA Rural Utilities Service, FEMA disaster mitigation grants, and USBR WaterSMART and drought planning programs.
How do water agencies apply for assistance
Infrastructure assistance flow through multiple channels. This includes federal loan assistance under the State Revolving Loan Funds, targeted federal project assistance and competitive contract opportunities. Seeking assistance involves working with federal agencies' staff, submitting applications and leveraging the annual congressional appropriations process. Vital to success is positioning, timing, and eligibility factors that ENS staff help to advance and make the project stand out among the competition.
What is the EPA State Revolving Fund and WIFIA?
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds are federally capitalized, state-administered loan programs that finance water infrastructure at below-market rates, with portions available as principal forgiveness for qualifying communities. WIFIA represents innovative financing of water and wastewater infrastructure relying upon ultra low loan rates and extended repayment terms.
Can ENS help identify which programs fit our project?
Yes. Identifying viable pathways and strategies to secure federal assistance is what we deliver. Mapping your projects against the program landscape, assessing eligibility and timing, and positioning applications within the federal process to maximize success is the objective.