Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality gets $14.6 million to aid community wastewater projects

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality recently received $14.6 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency for the state’s Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF), which will allow Louisiana to assist communities in the state with wastewater infrastructure projects.
 
Inadequate wastewater infrastructure can negatively impact water quality in streams, lakes, rivers and bays, harming aquatic life and affecting public health through hazards like raw sewage discharges. Communities in need of infrastructure improvements often need supplemental funding to carry out those projects, funding they can apply for through the revolving loan fund. These funds allow the communities to access low-interest, flexible loans and other types of financing, presenting them with significant savings over conventional loan rates.
 
The CWSRF has been available to communities for more than 25 years, allowing them to improve local water quality, aquatic habitats, drinking water sources, recreational waterways and public health. Throughout the country, CWSRFs have issued 34,900 low-cost loans, representing a total of $105.4 billion of investment into community water quality.