Funds will Strengthen Water Infrastructure, Access to Clean Water and Protect Environment

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced that Maryland has received $144,181,000 for Fiscal Year 2022 from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act they voted to enact to modernize the state’s water infrastructure and deliver safe, clean water to communities. This funding, administered through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), can be used to support projects that put Marylanders to work in good-paying jobs and promote healthy communities.

“Clean water is foundational to life and our economy in Maryland,” the lawmakers said. “That’s why we fought to pass the infrastructure modernization bill and deliver these historic water infrastructure investments to help bring safe drinking water to our communities, modernize critical stormwater and sewer systems, and protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay – while supporting good-paying jobs across our state. We will continue working to ensure every Marylander has access to safe drinking water and to provide our communities with the resources they need.”

This funding can be used to:

• Deliver safe drinking water by replacing lead service lines and ensuring water is rid of lead and other contaminants; and
• Ensure clean water for communities by upgrading wastewater and stormwater management systems that are critical to safely returning used water to the environment, enabling more people to swim, fish, and play in cleaner and healthier waters.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law last month by President Biden, will provide more than $7 billion over five years in federal funding directly to Maryland to improve our roads and bridges, public transit, water infrastructure, broadband internet, and more. The lawmakers fought to ensure passage of this crucial law in order to bring key investments to Maryland communities.

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