# Wastewater infrastructure financing and optimization > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/wastewater-infrastructure-financing-and-optimization > Updated: 2026-10-13T07:27:49.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Discussions regarding wastewater infrastructure have focused on both financing accessibility and technical optimization strategies. In the United States, the organization Trust in Water has urged Congress to expand eligibility for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The group argues that current federal laws, which limit below-market financing to specific public entities, create a disparity for regulated private wastewater utilities. Advocates suggest that widening access to low-interest loans would help these utilities upgrade aging facilities and improve national preparedness for extreme weather events. Concurrently, water professionals at the 2026 AWA/IWA Young Water Professionals Conference emphasized optimizing existing assets over constructing new infrastructure. Experts highlighted that identifying specific operational bottlenecks, such as aeration constraints, can increase capacity without the need for additional bioreactors or significant new capital investments. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-13: Water professionals advocate for infrastructure upgrades over new construction Water professionals are exploring ways to optimize existing wastewater infrastructure to avoid costly new builds, while the IWA and Grundfos launch a fellowship for youth-led water innovation. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/water-professionals-advocate-for-infrastructure-upgrades-over-new-construction ### 2026-09-15: US wastewater funding debate grows over private utility access Trust in Water is urging the US Congress to expand Clean Water State Revolving Fund eligibility to include regulated private wastewater utilities to accelerate infrastructure upgrades. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-wastewater-funding-debate-grows-over-private-utility-access --- Cite as: Wastewater infrastructure financing and optimization. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/wastewater-infrastructure-financing-and-optimization