Brown Announces $2.257 Billion to Help Communities Construct or Update Water and Sewer Systems in Fiscal Year 2016 Appropriations Bill

Press Release

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 omnibus appropriation bill includes $1.394 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and $863 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), federal-state partnerships that help ensure that local water sources are protected from pollution. These SRF program allows state governments to provide communities with financial assistance, including loans and grants, to build or update water and sewer systems.

"Communities across Ohio that are struggling to afford expensive -- but vital -- renovations to outdated water and sewer systems," said Brown. "Out-of-date systems can lead to water contamination and threaten the safety of our drinking water sources. Increased funding for this important program will provide financial relief for Ohio communities, boosting economic development and ensuring cleaner water."

This Congress, Brown will reintroduce the Clean Water Affordability Act -- legislation that would authorize $1.8 billion over five years for a grant program to help financially distressed communities update their aging infrastructure. The program would provide a 75-25 cost share for municipalities to use for planning, design, and construction of treatment works to control combined and sanitary sewer overflows. The bill would also update the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) clean water affordability policy, which can put undue strain on the budgets of local communities.

The current EPA affordability policy does not provide for a full and accurate representation of the financial impacts of clean water investment programs on communities struggling to meet federal regulations for improving their water infrastructure.

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