On 15 November 2021, the US$1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was passed, ushering in substantial federal funding to bolster the nation's infrastructure. The funding package comprises up to US$63 billion for Water Infrastructure and Western Water Infrastructure appropriations.

As we approach the midway point of the 2022–2026 appropriations timeline, Bluefield’s team of water experts has evaluated the progress of project funding across 10 discrete programs and subprograms administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The evaluation was conducted at the request of clients who expressed concerns about the slow pace at which funds are being disbursed to states and utilities.

The lion’s share of the funding (US$43.5 billion of the US$51.3 billion tracked) is channeled through existing State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. Half of this allocation supplements traditional SRF programs, while the rest is earmarked for projects addressing lead service lines and PFAS/emerging contaminants. Apart from SRF, another US$7.3 billion is appropriated for Water Infrastructure for the Nation, Water Recycling and Desalination, Water Storage and Conveyance, and WaterSMART Grants.

This Insight Report and accompanying data dashboard present a bottom-up analysis of the funds and their movements, from appropriation to financial outlays to end users.