The Shapiro Administration has announced a historic investment of $559.4 million to support 36 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source projects across 25 counties in Pennsylvania. The funding, delivered through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), represents the largest single-round investment in PENNVEST’s history, surpassing the previous record set in October.
The funding will be used to replace lead service lines, rehabilitate aging infrastructure, upgrade treatment and service capacity, and reduce environmental contaminants, strengthening water systems and improving water quality for communities throughout the Commonwealth.
“Every Pennsylvanian has a constitutional right to clean drinking water — and my Administration is focused on making sure that right is protected all across our Commonwealth,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Historic investments in clean water infrastructure like the ones made today will assist local communities replace lead service lines, upgrade water treatment plants, remove PFAS, and much more to help.”
According to PENNVEST Executive Director Robert Boos, the scale of the current round underscores the state’s long-term strategy. “The fact that we exceeded that milestone today – in dollars invested, number of projects funded, and counties represented in today’s funding - shows the strategic commitment we have to the long-term resilience of our communities,” he said. “Strengthening water infrastructure is essential to public health, economic growth, and environmental stewardship.”
The funding package draws from a combination of state voter-approved funds, Growing Greener and Marcellus Legacy funds, federal support from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act programs, as well as recycled loan repayments from previous PENNVEST awards.
Projects span urban, suburban, and rural communities and address both drinking water and wastewater needs, including PFAS treatment, lead service line replacement, sewer system rehabilitation, treatment plant upgrades, and energy efficiency improvements such as solar generation at wastewater facilities.
Major project highlights:
- City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) – $149.1 million loan for aeration system upgrades at the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant, improving treatment efficiency, operational safety, and system reliability.
- Capital Region Water (Dauphin County) – $120 million loan under the Programmatic Financing program to rehabilitate wastewater infrastructure and significantly reduce combined sewer overflows.
- City of Lancaster (Lancaster County) – $49.3 million loan for new raw and finished water transmission mains to enhance system resiliency.
- Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (Allegheny County) – $31.5 million in grants and loans to replace approximately 1,610 public and private lead service lines across multiple city neighbourhoods.
