Excellence is a topic that comes up plenty in sports, business and entertainment plenty, but this recognition of Excellence could be our most important yet: the Environmental Protection Agency has recognized 58 projects for Excellence in Clean and Drinking Water Infrastructure. –By Brian Hurlburt, Host, Magnifying Excellence podcast.
The projects honored for excellence and innovation fall within the clean water State Revolving Fund (SRF) and drinking water SRF programs. These exemplary projects demonstrate leadership in innovative financing, partnership, and problem solving while improving water quality and public health protection. These exemplary projects demonstrate leadership in innovative financing, partnership, and problem solving while improving water quality and public health protection.
“Over the past four years, EPA has helped finance more than $40 billion in water infrastructure and has accelerated investments by working with our state partners to increase the utilization and leveraging of the State Revolving Fund programs,” said Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water David Ross in a press release. “The 2020 State Revolving Fund projects honored today illustrate determination, coordination, and imagination in achieving water quality goals.”
The EPA’s AQUARIUS program celebrates innovation, sustainability, and public health protection demonstrated by drinking water SRF programs and assistance recipients. Twenty-five projects by state or local governments and drinking water utilities were recognized by the 2020 AQUARIUS program.
The EPA’s George F. Ames Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) program celebrates innovation demonstrated by clean water SRF programs and assistance recipients. Thirty-three projects by state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were honored.
The SRFs are EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with a permanent, independent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. Since their inception, EPA’s SRFs have provided more than $189 billion in financial assistance to nearly 43,000 water quality infrastructure projects and 16,500 drinking water projects across the country.
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