EPA Recognizes Excellence and Innovation in Lummi Water Infrastructure Project
SEATTLE (April 9, 2026) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized The Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District with a PISCES award for Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection, for the upgrade of the Gooseberry Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project, financed in part by state revolving fund programs, demonstrates the importance of water infrastructure for supporting healthy Americans and laying a foundation for economic prosperity.
“Here in Region 10, we’re pleased to see the Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District recognized for their investment in resilient, forward‑looking water infrastructure,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Emma Pokon. “Their work reflects the very best of cooperative federalism—local expertise, innovative solutions, and federal investment working hand‑in‑hand to power the Great American Comeback.”
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund 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.
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.
The Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District received a $15 million CWSRF loan to make necessary upgrades to the Gooseberry Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. For years, the aging Gooseberry Point WWTP was not adequately treating wastewater and the aging infrastructure caused frequent permit exceedances. The project upgraded the plant to a reliable activated sludge process and added an effluent pump station to overcome hydraulic constraints. These improvements ensured higher quality, permit-compliant discharges through the outfall, even during high tides and storms.
The upgrades will reduce pollution and public health risks and will restore protection for commercial and Tribal shellfish beds, which the Lummi Nation depends on for sustenance, cultural practices, and economic activity. The project improves habitat for marine species such as the Southern Resident Orca pod, marbled murrelets, and Puget Sound rockfish.
Background
The SRF programs are EPA-state partnerships that provide communities with low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality and drinking water infrastructure projects. 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.