Funding bolstered by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help replace lead service lines and address contaminants like PFAS |
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), today announced more than $273 million has been allocated to 86 municipalities through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) to improve drinking water quality for Wisconsinites. The funding will help municipalities across the state construct necessary water infrastructure projects, including replacing lead service lines and addressing emerging contaminants such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
“Across Wisconsin, countless folks and families worry about harmful contaminants like PFAS and lead every time they turn on their tap—and that is a reality we have been working hard to change,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m grateful to Sen. Baldwin and the Biden-Harris Administration for securing these funds that will help reinforce our state’s water infrastructure and help us continue our work to ensure Wisconsinites have access to clean, safe water at home, school, work, and everywhere in between.” There are more than 167,000 known lead service lines throughout the state, and this funding will help municipalities continue their efforts toward the goal of replacing the remaining lead service lines. During his visit to Wisconsin on Oct. 8, 2024, President Biden announced the final U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to replace all lead service lines by 2037, underscoring the need to support local communities in lead service line replacement efforts. Wisconsin is one of four states leading the renewed effort for replacement by participating in the Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators Program, and in May, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wisconsin would receive more than $83 million in additional funding to help the state identify and replace lead service lines under the BIL. In total, Wisconsin has received over $330 million for water infrastructure under the BIL, with hundreds of millions more funding still to be allocated over the next few years. Last month, Sen. Baldwin announced Wisconsin is going to receive an additional more than $86 million through the BIL for water system upgrades. Additionally, Wisconsin has been a national leader in providing funding to replace lead service lines and was the first state to utilize SDWLP funds for this purpose. According to a 2023 report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, more than 37,000 lead service lines have been replaced or turned off since 2018, which is more lines replaced or turned off in just five years than in the previous two decades. Examples of preliminarily approved projects include: Campbell | $972,998 Clinton | $700,300 Kenosha | More than $7 million Manitowoc | More than $5.5 million Milwaukee | More than $30 million Watertown | More than $14 million The funds will be awarded to municipalities over the next year and disbursed as eligible costs are incurred. The funding is a combination of more than $125.6 million of DNR’s SDWLP funding and funding from federal capitalization grants, including the:
The 2025 preliminary funding lists will be finalized following a 30-day window for municipalities to request a reevaluation of their priority score. The SDWLP provides affordable financial assistance to municipalities throughout Wisconsin for drinking water infrastructure projects that protect and improve public health for current and future generations. Since the program began in 1998, the DNR and the Wisconsin Department of Administration have provided over $1.1 billion in financial assistance to Wisconsin municipalities. Additional information about the SDWLP can be found online here. Since taking office in 2019, identifying and remediating contamination in ground, surface, and drinking water has been a top priority for Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration. Gov. Evers declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water to highlight the need for meaningful investments to ensure Wisconsinites have clean, safe drinking water that is free of harmful contaminants like PFAS, lead, and nitrate. More information regarding the governor’s efforts to ensure every Wisconsin family has clean, safe water straight from their tap is available here. |
An online version of this release is available here. |
Gov. Evers, U.S. Sen. Baldwin, DNR Announce More Than $273 Million to Ensure Clean, Safe Drinking Water for Wisconsinites in 86 Municipalities
Nov 4, 2024 | 7:27 AM
Schabusiness' Attorney Finds No Grounds for Appeal
2h ago
Peninsula Pride Farms Project recognized at Annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit
4h ago
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Locke talks facing Nebraska and changes
3h ago
Notre Dame wins WIAA Division 3 title, Collins rushes for 408 yards
2h ago
Governor Evers Grants 172 Pardons, Reaching a Total of 1,436 During his Tenure
1h ago
PDP Dairy Managers Institute: Empower Your Team, Master Leadership and Team Building
4h ago
Comments