Gov. Evers, DNR announce $444 million to improve municipal wastewater infrastructure for Wisconsinites in 50 Municipalities

WOOD COUNTY--Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), announced that $444 million has been allocated for financial assistance through the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP) to 50 Wisconsin municipalities to improve their wastewater infrastructure. The funding will help municipalities across the state construct needed wastewater infrastructure, including projects that reduce phosphorus discharges and address aging equipment, with a focus on small and disadvantaged communities.
Improvments in Wood County include a chemical addition for phosphorus removal in the Town of Milladore and upgrading the northeast pump station in Marshfield.
“We’re working to make sure Wisconsinites have safe, clean water straight from their tap to drink and that community water systems are safe, reliable, and can help effectively prevent harmful contaminants from being in our water supplies. Thanks to programs like the CWFP these investments will go a long way toward building the 21st-century infrastructure we need to ensure Wisconsinites have access to clean and safe water across our state,” said Gov. Evers.
The CWFP provides financial assistance to municipalities throughout Wisconsin for wastewater and water quality-related urban stormwater infrastructure projects that protect and improve public health and water quality for current and future generations. The DNR and the Wisconsin Department of Administration have administered the CWFP since 1991, providing over $6.1 billion in financial assistance to Wisconsin municipalities. Additional information about the CWFP can be found online here.
Through this round of funding, the DNR is allocating $399.9 million in subsidized loans and $44.1 million in principal forgiveness funding to support wastewater improvement projects. The CWFP subsidizes municipalities to buy down the market rate on program loans (reduced-interest rate loans). The principal forgiveness funding is comparable to a grant because the municipality will not have to repay those funds.
DNR Environmental Loans programs like the CWFP are receiving more than $900 million in additional funding in Federal Fiscal Years 2022-2026. The BIL also appropriates $1 billion over Fiscal Years 2022-2026 to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund specifically to address emerging contaminants, including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater, stormwater, and nonpoint source pollution nationwide. The CWFP Funding List for state fiscal year (FY) 2025 represents the third year of Supplemental Wastewater BIL funding.
Additionally, for the first time in CWFP history, loan demand has exceeded capacity. Total CWFP demand in state FY25 equaled more than $535 million. Due to recent spikes in demand for funding, the CWFP has exhausted available revenue bonding authority and can only allocate funding to some applicants. Additional funding will be allocated to unfunded projects if it becomes available.