Illinois EPA invests nearly $86 million in drinking water and wastewater projects
Apr. 14—SPRINGFIELD — Danville Sanitary District is receiving a $24.5 million water infrastructure loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
The Illinois EPA announced the issuance of $85,956,802 in water infrastructure loans to local governments and water districts for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 (January — March).
The Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program provides low-interest loans which fund wastewater, stormwater and drinking water projects. A total of $13,326,437 in loan forgiveness was provided to the recipients meeting the loan rules for either the Small Community Rate or Hardship Rate. Danville Sanitary District was awarded $5 million in forgiveness.
The sanitary district will install two blowers, a sludge pump and a new screening conveyor. The project includes replacement of three screw pumps, two screw motors, a new grit removal system and the conversion of eight aeration tanks into tanks with anoxic/anaerobic, anaerobic and aerobic zones. It will also rehabilitate the existing digester and outfall system.
"Communities throughout Illinois are facing significant challenges as they address aging infrastructure, and Illinois EPA is pleased to provide financial assistance to so many of them to help with those efforts," said Director John J. Kim. "So far in fiscal year 2023, Illinois EPA has already invested nearly $232 million in our state's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and there are more communities in line to receive future funding from the program. These funds not only provide for safe drinking water and protect our water resources, but they also bring good jobs to each community."
Illinois EPA's SRF includes two loan programs, the Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP) which funds both wastewater and stormwater projects, and the Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) for drinking water projects. Both programs provide funding at a low interest rate of just 1.24 percent for State FY23. These programs receive federal capitalization funding annually, which is combined with state matching funds, interest earnings, repayment money and the sale of bonds, to form the source of financing for these infrastructure projects.
The state matching funds for State FY2020-2024 are being provided through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan thus increasing the funding capacity of both loan programs.
For more information about Illinois EPA's SRF, visit https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/grants-loans/state-revolving-fund.html.
