Capital Water Funding – Status and Successful Techniques

This paper addresses the current status of water related outside capital funding in the United States. It specifically addresses recent changes in national funding priorities of the Administration and Congress. It also looks at recent federal and state agency developments associated with the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. While communities try to seek information, data and entry into unique capital funding opportunities, very little reliable information exists regarding how other communities have won past funding. This kind of information is critical to help communities through the maze of rules and regulations used by those who control more than $10 billion of capital water funding on an annual basis. This information is being provided from the experience gained through work with past funded projects (The information contained in this paper comes from 32 years of experience in assisting 250 communities obtain more than $1,350,000,000 in water related grants or loans across the United States. Out of this total experience, more than $300,000,000 has come from direct site specific line item appropriations through the U.S. Congress). It shows how, when and why capital funding is acquired. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings