The Virgin Islands will get $4.1 million in stimulus funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pay for overdue improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment across the territory.
The funds will go to the territory’s Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds programs.
"EPA is committed to helping restore America’s economy through projects that not only create jobs, but also make a demonstrable difference for the environment and public health," EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou said in a press release. "This funding will help the U.S. Virgin Islands upgrade its drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, both of which are imperative for healthy communities."
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program, operated under the Planning and Natural Resources umbrella, will receive $2 million. The program provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. It emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.
Planning will also receive a $100,000 Water Quality Management Planning grant, which supports setting water quality standards, water monitoring efforts, developing plans to restore polluted waters and identifying ways to protect healthy waters from becoming polluted.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, managed by the Public Works Department, will receive $2 million. The program provides low-interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management.
Efforts to learn more from Planning and Public Works were unsuccessful.
Across the country, a total of $6 billion will be awarded in Stimulus Funds to pay for water and wastewater infrastructure projects in the form of low-interest loans, principal forgiveness and grants. At least 20 percent of the funds are to be used for green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements and other environmentally innovative projects.