The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced it is providing a grant to Baltimore in the amount of $202m, in accordance with the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), which the city can use to boost its infrastructure.
The announcement was made by Andrew Wheeler, the EPA's acting administrator, at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. A number of government officials, including Baltimore's mayor, Catherine Pugh, and both U.S. senators, were in attendance.
The projects currently underway in the city could cost as much as $942m. The EPA loan will provide funding for over 20% of the total. In addition, another $280.5m will come from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), which it will draw from its Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund. A further $47.5m will come from the Bay Restoration Grant Fund.
Both the MDE and WIFIA programs offer low interest rates on their loans, which is expected to save Baltimore a significant amount of money. In the case of the WIFIA loan, the money saved could be as much as $40m. In situations like this, officials could use flyer printing to create informative materials for residents.
Baltimore's wastewater infrastructure is aging. With the help of the loan, the city will finish 14 projects including making upgrades and repairs throughout its wastewater conveyance system, improving its storm water management, and completing the upgrades now underway at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.