The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Tuesday over half a billion from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for California drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades.

This $510 million in funding is part of more than $50 billion in water infrastructure upgrade investments from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Almost half will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans so funds reach disadvantaged and underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure, according to news release.

This vital funding will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state, according to the release.

“All people deserve the peace of mind that the water they drink, swim and bathe in, and use to feed their families is safe, readily available, and clean,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is making this a reality for tens of millions of Americans throughout the Pacific Southwest, especially those that need it the most. In partnership with communities and state leaders, we’re investing in cutting-edge technology, infrastructure, and nature-based solutions to provide sustainable, clean water that will improve the health and quality of life for communities and the environment.”

“This will be a massive injection into our strategy for getting more people clean drinking water,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “My administration has already improved access for 2 million Californians and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to ramp up this work, and this new investment will significantly boost these efforts. Our partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, and the work of California’s congressional and senate delegations, have delivered in a big way for Californians.”

The funding EPA announced for California is part of a $5.8 billion investment through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF), one of EPA’s signature water investment programs. This multi-billion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs to address critical challenges, with $2.6 billion going to the Clean Water SRF for wastewater and stormwater infrastructure and $3.2 billion going to the Drinking Water SRF for drinking water infrastructure nationwide.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in Action in California

Since 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has injected over $1.6 billion ($1,625,045,000) into water infrastructure projects across California, protecting public health, preserving water resources, and creating jobs.

With the help of more than $3.3 million of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, Walnut Ranch, a Colusa, California community impacted by multiple environmental and health issues and designated as disadvantaged, will improve water conservation and protect its drinking water supplies. Thanks to this funding, the community will install water meters, replace old and asbestos cement pipes, install fire hydrants, and effectively eliminate access to two arsenic-contaminated wells that are no longer in use. These upgrades will allow Colusa to consolidate drinking water systems and deliver safer, more reliable drinking water to this community.