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On October 28th, 2025, the Local Infrastructure Hub hosted a session to explore the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). The CWSRF provides local governments with low-cost loans and other financing options for a wide range of water quality projects. Funded by the federal government and administered by state agencies, the program supports initiatives such as wastewater treatment, stormwater management, habitat restoration, water conservation and reuse, and contaminated site cleanup. We were joined by Mayor Kathy Sheehan of Albany, New York; Chris Browning, Utilities Director of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Tony Parrott, CEO of Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District; Lori Johnson, Financial Assistance Division Chief, Oklahoma Water Resources Board; and Cynthia Koehler, Executive Director of WaterNow Alliance.
Key Insights Shared
Each state SRF office is different.
The CWSRF is a federal–state partnership that provides low-interest loans, not grants, to local governments and utilities for wastewater, stormwater, and other water quality projects. Cynthia highlighted that each state runs its own SRF program and so it is essential that local governments understand their state specific eligibility requirements and deadlines to maximize funding opportunities.
Integrate environmental restoration with community revitalization.
Albany invested over $150 million in water and sewer infrastructure, including replacing lead service lines and ending sewage discharge into the Hudson River. A standout project was Patroon Creek in the Tivoli Preserve, a historically redlined neighborhood, to restore natural water flow, reduce flooding, and improve water quality. The project also revitalized public green space. Mayor Sheehan emphasized the importance of combining water infrastructure upgrades with visible projects that benefit the community to strengthen public and funding support.
Maintain an ongoing partnership with your state SRF administrator.
Chris described Oklahoma City’s success with water infrastructure as a longstanding partnership with Lori Johnson and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, which administers the state’s CWSRF. Since 2009, Oklahoma City has leveraged nearly $700 million in SRF loans for a diverse range of projects, such as dam restorations, wastewater treatment upgrades, smart meter installations, and cybersecurity and system modernization. Oklahoma City’s relationship with the state SRF office has allowed them to be flexible and innovative in the projects that the city pursues.
Align major infrastructure projects with state SRF priority criteria.
Louisville’s Metropolitan Sewer District is executing a $4 billion reinvestment plan to modernize wastewater, stormwater, and flood protection systems. A major initiative, the $250 million flood pump station modernization doubles pumping capacity to 1.9 billion gallons per day and protects 65,000 residents from major flood risks. Tony stressed the importance of matching Louisville’s project with the state SRF priority list; Louisville did this by emphasizing the age and reliability of their infrastructure, and the catastrophic impacts if there was a failure of that asset.
Resources Shared During the Webinar and in Discussion: