Water you waiting for? More than $4B in USDA rural infrastructure loans available

August 2018

Not long ago, the United States was a world leader in infrastructure investments. Public and private funding helped even the most remote communities obtain electricity, running water, and economic opportunity through telecommunications.

However, recent years have not followed the same trend, and too many rural communities have been left behind. The need for improvement is great, especially for rural water and wastewater systems.

To put this in perspective, the American Water Works Association estimates that more than $600 billion is needed over the next 20 years to upgrade our nation’s water and wastewater systems. Unfortunately, many small and rural water systems lack access to affordable financing.

For generations, through funding provided by Congress, USDA’s water initiatives have made great advancements in the standard of living in rural Utah and across the U.S. These rural water infrastructure investments have been the engine for economic opportunity and agriculture advancements across the rural landscape. In the second most arid state in the nation, water investments are the foundation for rural prosperity, public health, and the environment.

This year, USDA Rural Development has more than $4 billion in direct loans available now to help rural communities build or upgrade water infrastructure. This is a substantial increase from last year. In 2017, USDA helped more than 2.5 million rural residents get access to upgraded water and wastewater systems. I am excited to see how many more people we can help can help here in Utah to add to that number.