$39m boost for Vermont water sector

The tiny US state of Vermont is to benefit from a package worth almost $39m to help improve its water quality and finance overdue wastewater projects.


The funding will come from the national fighting fund set up by the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, set up to battle the recession.

It will help the state and local governments to carry out improvements to wastewater projects deemed necessary to protect public health and the environment.

“These funds will help both our communities and the environment,” said Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.

“Clean, safe water is one of the bedrock foundations of communities and an economy that can grow and thrive. This money is an important start to upgrade our aging infrastructure, while creating well-paid, green jobs.”

The money will be made available in the form of soft loans and while wastewater will take the lion’s share of the finance, the package is expected to fund non-point source pollution projects and watershed and estuary management schemes.

The cash will be administered by Vermont’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

The recovery act is expected to distribute $4bn for water projects across the USA.

Vermont is one of America’s smallest states, home to around 600,000 people – roughly the same population of Glasgow.

Sam Bond

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