Program assists Illinois communities with water projects

(The Center Square) – Billions of dollars continue to be poured into water infrastructure projects around Illinois.

There is a state program that provides low-interest loans for wastewater, stormwater and drinking water projects. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s State Revolving Fund includes two loan programs with interest rates under 2%.

"The first one is the Water Pollution Loan Program,” said Nidhan Singh, deputy section manager for the program during a University of Illinois-Extension Thriving Communities Webinar. “That’s where we fund our wastewater and stormwater projects. Then there’s the Public Water Supply Loan Program, which is also called the Drinking Water Project, this is where we look to treat your sewer and sewer-related projects.”

In Illinois, there has been a heavy emphasis on replacing lead service lines. Lead pipes in public water systems have been banned in new construction since the 1980s, but miles of lead service lines exist in Illinois.

“In just our state, we have 23% of the entire nation’s supply of lead service lines right here in Illinois and most of them are in the Chicagoland area,” said Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Schaumburg.

Last year, the federal government estimated that there are over a million lead service lines in Illinois.

Last month, the Illinois EPA announced a total of $43,159,886 for 17 cities and villages to improve their water infrastructure.

“We know lead service lines are a major obstacle for community water supplies throughout Illinois,” said Illinois EPA Interim Director James Jennings. “Illinois EPA is committed to utilizing our State Revolving Fund to maximize funding available to communities to remove the threat of lead in drinking water, while prioritizing disadvantaged communities that would have no other resources to take on this challenge.”

This week, the agency also announced a grant opportunity with $5 million in funding for projects that will improve water quality in Illinois through the Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities Program.

The program seeks proposals for projects containing green infrastructure best management practices that prevent, eliminate or reduce stormwater runoff, reducing localized or riverine flooding in Illinois’ rivers, streams and lakes.