U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials announced a new federal loan and guarantee program created by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) of 2014 to accelerate investment in the nation's water infrastructure. The interim final WIFIA implementation rule, Credit Assistance for Water Infrastructure Projects, was signed by the EPA Administrator on December 6, 2016, and establishes the guidelines for the WIFIA program and the process by which EPA will administer credit assistance. The proposed Fees for Water Infrastructure Project Applications under WIFIA was also signed on December 6, 2016, and proposes to establish fees related to the provision of federal credit assistance under WIFIA.
WIFIA authorizes the EPA to provide long-term, low-cost rate loans, at U.S. Treasury rates, for up to 49 percent of eligible project costs for projects that will cost at least $20 million for large communities and $5 million for small communities (population of 25,000 or less).