DeKalb County receives loan from EPA to continue work on water systems
DeKalb County and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials recently announced a $284 million loan to support the county’s Water Infrastructure Renewal Program.
The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to DeKalb County will go toward modernizing infrastructure to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to more than 750,000 residents while building capacity for sustainable growth, stated officials.
“This WIFIA loan makes it possible for us to correct years of neglect where we did not make proper investments,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond.
The Water Infrastructure Renewal Program, which the loan is funding, in part, will upgrade DeKalb County’s drinking water distribution system and be used to replace water pipes in the distribution system to address water main breaks.
“This new infrastructure will reduce water loss to protect public health and safety and improve customer service,” stated officials. “The program is also upgrading the disinfection system, adding backup power, and replacing water storage tanks to increase capacity. By investing in a modernization project to upgrade the existing drinking water infrastructure, DeKalb County will enhance the resiliency of the system and be able to reliably provide water service to the community well into the future.”
Construction is expected to be completed in 2028, and construction and operation are expected to create close to 2,000 jobs, stated officials.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox said DeKalb County will save more than $60 million by financing with WIFIA loans. This is the second WIFIA loan DeKalb County has received to improve water-related infrastructure, stated officials.
The continued work to repair and modernize the county’s water infrastructure will also lead to new economic growth, said Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson.
“DeKalb has come such a long way,” she said. “When you look at infrastructure and water, you’re looking at not only public health, but also long-term economic development. In many instances here in DeKalb we’re dealing with over 100 years of necessary replacement of pipes. As infrastructure increase, so does our capacity to grow as a county. It creates a new trajectory for us all.”
For more information, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov.
