When $20 Billion Isn’t Enough: Water Infrastructure
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 included more than $50 billion in funding for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater management projects. It was a welcome federal investment for many communities that have struggled to keep water infrastructure in good repair in recent decades. And it anticipates a growing need for water infrastructure funding as existing systems age and climate change causes more extreme weather. … Some states, including many in the West and Southeast, are making extra investments in water infrastructure using flexible funding from an earlier bill, the American Rescue Plan Act… States’ approaches vary widely. Some states, including Idaho, South Dakota and South Carolina, have spent about 60 percent of their (State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds) funding on water, while others, including California, Texas, Minnesota and New York, have used none.
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