US wastewater funding debate grows over private utility access

The organization Trust in Water is calling on the United States Congress to expand eligibility for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). Currently, federal law limits the availability of this below-market financing to specific public entities for the construction of publicly owned treatment works.

Trust in Water argues that this restriction creates a financing disparity for regulated private wastewater utilities that manage comparable infrastructure and hold similar public health obligations. Proponents suggest that widening access to low-interest financing would allow these utilities to accelerate essential upgrades to aging treatment facilities, pumping stations, and collection networks.

Expanding access is also being framed as a matter of national preparedness. Advocates argue that improved infrastructure resilience is critical for managing extreme weather events, such as flooding and storms, and that lower borrowing costs could ultimately reduce the financial burden on customers.