America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA) is a United States federal law, enacted during the 115th United States Congress, which provides for water infrastructure improvements throughout the country in the areas of:
- flood control
- navigable waterways
- water resources development
- maintenance and repair of dams and reservoirs
- ecosystem restoration
- public water systems
- financing of improvements
- hydropower development
- technical assistance to small communities.[1]
The law also reauthorizes the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) which provides expanded financial assistance to communities under the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. These programs are administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Summary of current EPA actions
- Modifications to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- Community Water System risk and resilience assessments
- Implementation of amendments to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
- Administration of funding for the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act grant programs
- Development of infrastructure asset management and capacity development strategies for state agencies and public water systems.[2]
Upcoming EPA actions
- Water System Restructuring Rule
- Small System Report to Congress[2]
SWIFIA
Section 4201 of the Act authorised the creation of the state infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) program. This is a loan program established to support State infrastructure financing authority borrowers, administered by EPA.[3]
Minneapolis Courthouse
Also included in the law is the designation of the United States courthouse located at 300 South Fourth Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the "Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse".
References
- ^ United States. America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. Pub. L. 115–270 (text) (PDF). October 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018: Overview". Washington, D.C.: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). August 1, 2019.
- ^ EPA, What is SWIFIA?, updated 13 June 2022, accessed 22 January 2023
External links
- America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (PDF/details) as amended in the GPO Statute Compilations collection
- America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (PDF/details) as enacted in the US Statutes at Large
