EPA announces nearly $250,000 in stormwater reuse program funding for Utah

Photo: Unsplash // Alex Ranney

UTAH — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $248,000 in sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grant program funding last week, specifically for the state of Utah.

This funding is intended to help Utah communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs, and is part of the $50 million in grants that the EPA has made available nationwide.

“Heavy rainfall can flood communities, overload facilities that collect and treat wastewater and contaminate our waterways with sewage and pollution,” KC Becker, EPA regional administrator, said in a press release. “With $248,000 in grant funding, EPA is helping Utah address the threat of stormwater inundation in communities that need it most.”

States can now apply for grant assistance for projects that will help municipalities strengthen their wastewater and stormwater collection systems agains intense rain events, and prevent contaminants from polluting waterways.

“Stormwater management is a complex environmental challenge for communities across the country,” said a press release from the EPA. “The costs to construct, operate and maintain stormwater infrastructure can be significant. This investment follows changes made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to prioritize projects for small and/or financially distressed communities and prevents cost share requirements from being passed on to these communities.”