EPA Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Local Water Infrastructure Projects Across the Nation
WASHINGTON –Today, at the 2026 Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA) Summit on Water Infrastructure, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer helped recognize 48 water infrastructure projects for excellence and innovation. Each project, financed in part by the State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, demonstrated the importance of water infrastructure for supporting healthy Americans and laying a foundation for economic prosperity.
“Across the country, states are putting State Revolving Fund resources to work in ways that deliver real, lasting benefits for communities by modernizing aging systems, strengthening resilience, and ensuring families can rely on safe, clean water every day,” said Assistant Administrator Jess Kramer. “These projects show that when we pair federal investment with state leadership, we can protect human health, support local economies, and reach communities that have too often been left behind.”
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs have provided a foundation of federal investment in water infrastructure for decades. The SRF programs directly support EPA’s Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative, which emphasizes the need for clean air, land, and water for every American and the importance of cooperative federalism.
Drinking Water: AQUARIUS Awards
EPA’s AQUARIUS program celebrates drinking water projects financed in part by the DWSRFs that are innovative, resilient, and protect public health. Twenty-two projects carried out by state or local governments and drinking water utilities were recognized by the 2026 AQUARIUS program, including these exceptional projects:
- Excellence in Innovative Financing: Nassau County – American Beach Water and Sewer District, Florida
- Excellence in System Partnerships: Scituate Housing Authority, Rhode Island
- Excellence in Community Engagement: City of Baltimore, Maryland
- Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: City of Westbrook, Minnesota
- Excellence in Infrastructure Designed for the Future: City of Antioch, California
Clean Water: PISCES Awards
EPA’s George F. Ames PISCES program celebrates innovation demonstrated by wastewater and stormwater projects financed by the CWSRF programs. Twenty-six projects carried out by state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were recognized by the 2026 PISCES program, including the following exceptional projects:
- Excellence in Innovative Financing: City of Roswell, New Mexico
- Excellence in System Partnerships: Western Wayne County Water and Sewer Authority, New York
- Excellence in Community Engagement: Nassau County, Florida
- Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District, Washington
- Excellence in Infrastructure Designed for the Future: City of Escondido, California
EPA also recognized state SRF programs through the new State Excellence Recognition Program, which celebrates high-performing state SRF programs that demonstrate outstanding financial and program management and effective delivery of assistance across both the CWSRF and DWSRF. Three state SRF programs were recognized by the program, including one state from the DWSRF and two from the CWSRF for exceptional overall program performance to protect public health and the environment.
- DWSRF State Excellence Award: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- CWSRF State Excellence Award: Oklahoma Water Resources Board
- CWSRF State Excellence Honorable Mention: Indiana Finance Authority
See the full list of recognized projects and learn more about the AQUARIUS and PISCES programs.
Background
The State Revolving Fund programs are EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. Since their creation, the SRFs have provided over $265 billion in financial assistance to more than 50,000 water quality infrastructure projects and 76,000 drinking water projects across the country.