The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has jump started investment in the nation’s aging water infrastructure. This increased investment is necessary because our nation’s water infrastructure is, in many areas, crumbling. As highlighted in the President’s State of the Union address, investing in water infrastructure will serve to improve local water quality, protect the environment, keep our communities safe, and create jobs. You can read more about the EPA’s efforts.
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) has been instrumental in the EPA’s effort to modernize our aging water infrastructure. The SRF serves to help communities update aging and inadequate water infrastructure through low-interest loans. In 2018, EPA contributed $2.2 billion to the SRF. The SRF is helping communities across the nation by financing critical water and wastewater projects like the one our team worked on in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
The urban stormwater project for the City of Cocoa Beach, financed in part by SRF, offers an example of the positive impacts these projects have on their local communities. The project serves to reduce the flow of nutrients into the environmentally-fragile Banana River, and successfully treats stormwater to block nitrogen and phosphorous from seeping into the groundwater.
The sensitive handling of the precarious ecosystems surrounding the area have played an integral role in preserving the local environment. In addition to the environmental benefits, the improved aesthetic appeal of the City has attracted new businesses to the area, thus strengthening the local economy. The SRF financed $1.8 million of the total $5.2 million construction cost.
Infrastructure projects like the one completed for the City of Cocoa Beach are vital to the long-term success of our nation. They serve to protect the environment, improve public safety, and help grow our local economies. Investing in these critical infrastructure projects is an important step in promoting the continued health and safety of our nation.
