Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the award of two Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans totaling $97 million to Medford Water to support the Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Program. Through these loans, EPA is supporting safer and more resilient drinking water to the 140,000 residents of the Rogue Valley.
“Water infrastructure provides an essential and irreplaceable part of our daily lives,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “Thanks to this WIFIA finance loan, Medford will advance the benefits of the Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Program. As a result, Medford’s water will be safer and more resilient to climate change.”
“Access to reliable clean water and a resilient water infrastructure system is crucial to the health and strength of every family,” said Senator Merkley, who authored the WIFIA law. “I am pleased that the Medford Water Commission’s Rogue Valley Water Supply is receiving two WIFIA loans to carry out vital projects ensuring the water in their community is safe and the infrastructure is resilient to natural disasters, without burdening the ratepayers. I will continue to work to ensure that Oregonians have access to clean and reliable drinking water and support programs like this.”
“I am proud of the strategic financial planning that our organization has undertaken to secure this competitive funding,” said Chair of the Board of Water Commissioners Bob Strosser. “The terms of this WIFIA program provide us with a unique opportunity to advance resiliency and capacity-adding projects that will allow us to continue to serve future generations of the Rogue Valley.”
See the EPA’s press release
here, and our video announcement
here. For more information on the Rogue Valley Water Supply Resiliency Program, go to
medfordwater.org/WIFIA.