A notice from the Clean Water Construction Coalition has brought the good news that Congress has appropriated nearly three times as much money to support wastewater treatment projects, and about 20% to 30% more money to support drinking-water programs, for Fiscal Year 2010 as it did for Fiscal Year 2009.

Fiscal Year 2010 began Oct. 1, 2009, and ends Sept. 30, 2010.

Though the $2.1 billion anted-up for wastewater projects and the $1.38 billion allotted for drinking-water work are just a drop in the bucket (pardon the pun) compared to the huge sums being discussed for the highway bill, this is good news!

It's great that Congress is beginning to recognize that our water systems are a vital part of our infrastructure that also needs financial support for upgrading.

The money is being distributed to states through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The tentative amount of funding each state will get for drinking-water projects has been set, but the apportioning of money for wastewater projects is still being worked out.

Here are the tentative amounts that states in Midwest Construction's core readership area will receive for drinking-water projects: Illinois $55.4 million, Indiana $24.5 million, Missouri $28.4 million, Wisconsin $25.3 million.  The surrounding states and their allocations include: Michigan $44.6 million, Minnesota $24.6 million, Ohio $47.2 million, and Iowa $25.1 million.

The full list for all 50 states is at www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf.  Click on FY 2010 State Allotment.

The wastewater amounts will also be posted on the site once they are figured out.

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