Wilmington Water Awarded Significant Funding for PFAS Treatment

Receiving a nearly $2 million grant from the State of Delaware and EPA to address PFAS impacts;

The City has received nearly $80M total for other infrastructure work, including lead service line replacement and PFAS treatment efforts;

Funding enables the City to improve its systems while reducing the financial costs to customers

Wilmington, DE : The City of Wilmington's Water Division, also known as Wilmington Water, is proud to announce that it has been awarded nearly $2 million ($1,983,661) in grant funding to assist with its PFAS-related treatment efforts. The grant comes from the State of Delaware through its State Revolving Fund and was initially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant program [epa.gov]. The program provides states and territories with grants to give to public water systems in small or disadvantaged communities to address emerging contaminants, including PFAS.

Created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program enables:

· Efforts to address emerging contaminants in drinking water that would benefit a small or disadvantaged community on a per household basis;

· Technical assistance to evaluate emerging contaminant problems;

· Programs to provide household water-quality testing, including testing for unregulated contaminants;

· Local contractor training; and

· Activities necessary and appropriate for a state to respond to an emerging contaminant.

This funding builds on the $7,000,000 award, which included $4,116,009 in principal forgiveness, from the State of Delaware to assist with Wilmington's PFAS treatment efforts. The city qualified under the guidelines for disadvantaged communities because over 70% of it (21 of 25 census tracts; 2 dead census tracts) is identified as "disadvantaged," and by the EPA's definition, nearly 47% of the City's population is considered low income. Absent the funding, our customers could not support the rate increases that would be necessary to continue to protect public health and provide economic security in the region.

In total, Wilmington has received nearly $80 million in monies because of the flexibility provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The money will help Wilmington continue its infrastructure improvements at as low a cost to our customers as possible. In 2025, the City also received the following grants and loans:

· Small and Disadvantaged Community Emerging Contaminants - PFAS Grant - $2,437,134 (Grant)

· Adams Street - $500,000 forgiveness on $2,000,000

· Lead Service Lines - $10,000,000 (100% forgiveness)

· PFAS Removal SRF - $1,500,000 (100% forgiveness)

Over the last ten years, the City has invested more than $200 million dollars from a variety of funding sources to conduct our work, reducing the financial burden on our ratepayers. Those investments include the reinforcement of the Hoopes Reservoir, the construction of a renewable energy facility at the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, and increased protection of the South Wilmington wetlands.

"We're extremely thankful for the trust the state has placed in us to continue with our infrastructure and treatment improvements," said Kelly Williams, Commissioner, City of Wilmington Department of Public Works. "Our team is constantly seeking to upgrade our water and wastewater systems in ways that reduce the financial impacts on the people we serve."

"Our work is not done," Williams continued, "and we will pursue every funding path available to help us deliver the highest quality water and wastewater services to our customers."