Federal Funding For Improving Wastewater Treatment Is Greatly Needed, Says Coalition

An environmental coalition says there’s a need for federal loan money that goes toward improving wastewater treatment plants

The Obama administration has proposed reducing that funding in its proposed budget. The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition said Wisconsin’s share of the low-interest funds would be cut by $9 million next year compared to this year.

The coalition’s Todd Ambs said other Great Lakes states would also see about a 25 percent cut.

“You only need to take a casual glance around the Great Lakes basin to see the tremendous need for infrastructure improvements,” said Ambs. “A lot of that plumbing, particularly in our major cities, is several decades old and needs to be upgraded and replaced.”

The Obama administration said the Great Lakes region would still get about $400 million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, at a time when there’s heavy competition for federal dollars.