The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program accelerates investment in our nation's water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects. STORMWATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BORROWER: City of San Diego, California LOCATION: San Diego, California WIFIA LOAN AMOUNT: $225,110,226 TOTAL WIFIA PROJECT COSTS: $459,408,626 POPULATION SERVED BY PROJECT: 1,430,000 people NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED: 1,526 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Stormwater Capital Improvement Program in San Diego, California will protect water quality, enhance water supply, and restore natural habitats to help meet water quality goals required under the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit. This WIFIA loan supports the design and construction of both traditional and green infrastructure projects. Captured stormwater flows will be directed to innovative multi-benefit stormwater management technologies to reduce untreated runoff entering the Pacific Ocean. The City of San Diego will modernize aging, deteriorated drainage pipes and upgrade pump stations to protect the public from flooding. It will also implement green infrastructure projects to restore riparian environments and reduce impervious surfaces. Green infrastructure projects help mitigate flooding and have added social and economic benefits, such as providing critical wetland habitat for plants and animals, reducing heat islands, and creating green space. This is the first loan under a master agreement that will commit over $359 million in WIFIA assistance to the City of San Diego to accelerate the implementation of its $700 million Stormwater Capital Improvement Program. PROJECT BENEFITS • Protects water quality, reduces flood risk, and restores natural habitats. • Supports system and community resiliency to impacts of climate change. • Saves the City of San Diego approximately $63 million by financing with a WIFIA loan. WIFIA PROGRAM Photo credit: City of San Diego £% United States Environmental Protection kl m % Agency WEBSITE: www.epa.gov/wifia EMAiL: wifia@EPA.gov ------- |