U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that Kansas will receive $79,430,000 from the bipartisan infrastructure law to address drinking water and wastewater systems.
This 2022 allocation is the first of five years of dedicated State Revolving Fund water funding that Kansas will receive through the Davids-backed bipartisan infrastructure law.
This announcement marks the first official round of funding for Kansas from the bipartisan infrastructure law and will be used to create jobs, upgrade aging water infrastructure, and deliver safe, lead-free drinking water across the state, according to Rep. Davids.
In the 3rd District, this will help finance local projects like those that Davids highlighted in her “State of our Systems: Water” report, including the nearly $2 billion in repairs identified by Johnson County Wastewater over the next 25 years.
“I’m thrilled to bring the first official funding allocation from the bipartisan infrastructure law to Kansas. These historic investments in our water infrastructure, including targeted funding to identify and replace lead pipes, will help deliver safe, reliable water to our communities for years to come,” Rep. Davids said. “I look forward to continuing to support our local public works and utilities as they put these funds to work for the 3rd District.”
“Every Kansas family should have access to clean drinking water – period,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “This $79 million will go a long way to support our families and businesses by removing lead pipes and building more resilient, sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure. Water affects every part of our lives, I commend Congress for passing this important bipartisan legislation to support Kansans.”
Rep. Davids joined local experts from Johnson County and Unified Government Public Works Departments as well as local utilities last month to emphasize the importance of investing in water infrastructure and praise the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure law—which has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Rep. Davids serves as the vice chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and was “in the thick of the infrastructure bill from the start.”
During a Unified Government Commission discussion of stormwater fees last week, it was mentioned that water infrastructure loans from the state of Kansas could be “forgivable” loans.