EPA allocates a total of $58 million to Tennessee for water infrastructure resiliency in aftermath of Hurricane Helene

EPA Allocates a total of $58 million to Tennessee for water infrastructure resiliency in aftermath of Hurricane Helene

ATLANTA, Georgia (Sept. 30, 2025) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allocated a total of $58 million to Tennessee to improve water infrastructure resiliency in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

"These funds are critical to Tennessee as they continue to recover from Hurricane Helene and build resilient water systems that can withstand severe weather," said EPA Deputy Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. "Access to safe, clean water is critical, especially in the most difficult of times."

Tennessee received $44.3 million for its Drinking Water Safe Revolving Fund and $8.2 million for its Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund, which may now make low-interest loans with principal forgiveness toward the cost of planning, design and construction of eligible treatment works improvement projects.

Additionally, Tennessee received $3.5 million for its new Decentralized Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund to improve the resilience of septic systems and assess and connect homes served by septic systems to centralized wastewater systems. State and local water system leaders requested a revolving fund to address septic systems, and now they have this additional tool.

These allocations were authorized by the Clean Water Act, Section 12 and are part of the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai'i Wildfires, administered by the State Revolving Fund (SRF).

The funds may be used to complete SRF eligible projects that increase resiliency to natural disasters, including improving drinking water facilities and wastewater treatment works, distribution and collection systems, and source water supply, and completing other infrastructure projects needed to protect human health and the environment through improved drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. 

Tennessee also received$2 million in disaster relief supplemental funding announcedearlier today to support water systems in southeastern states impacted by Hurricane Helene. These funds are part of $60 million nationally allocated through the American Relief Act of 2025 for projects necessary for preventing, limiting or mitigating an emergency situation.

BACKGROUND:

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helenemade landfall as a Category 4 major hurricane in northwestern Florida, causing catastrophic flooding in five EPA Southeast Region states as well as Virginia. A federal Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee was approved on October 2, 2024.