EPA awards $1,687,013,000 to Florida for water infrastructure resiliency

EPA awards $1,687,013,000 to Florida for water infrastructure resiliency

Tallahassee, Fla. (March 25, 2026) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $1,687,013,000 in supplemental appropriation funds to Florida to improve water infrastructure resiliency in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

"These funds are critical to Florida as they build back stronger with more resilient water systems that can better withstand severe weather," said EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. "As the first anniversary of Hurricanes Helene and Milton have recently passed, we are reminded how critical access to safe clean water is, especially in the most difficult of times."

Florida received $844,671,000 for its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, to make low-interest loans with principal forgiveness toward the cost of planning, design and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects. This allocation was administered under Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Florida received $806,392,000 for its Clean Water Safe Revolving Fund, to make low-interest loans with principal forgiveness toward the cost of planning, design and construction of eligible treatment works improvement projects.

In addition, Florida received $35,950,000 for its Clean Water State Revolving Fund to improve the resilience of septic systems and assess and connect homes served by septic systems to centralized wastewater systems.

Both Clean Water State Revolving Fund allocations were administered under Title VI of the Clean Water Act.

BACKGROUND:

These funds are part of the 2025 Supplemental Congressional Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai'i Wildfires, administered under the State Revolving Fund (SRF). The funds may be used to complete SRF-eligible projects that increase resiliency to natural disasters at facilities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai'i wildfires. These include projects to improve drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities, distribution and collection systems and source water supply, among others.