$10 million in ARPA funding available for sewer and water system infrastructure improvement projects

Pierce County Council approved Ordinance 2021-115s and Ordinance 2022-32, establishing the Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Grant Program. Through this program, Pierce County is allocating federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stimulus funding for capital projects designed to respond to the direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Eligible applicants include local and tribal governments and owners and operators of qualifying water systems. Funds may be used to invest in critical utility infrastructure projects that:

• Improve access to clean drinking water.
• Support vital wastewater infrastructure.
• Increase availability of affordable housing.

The Planning and Public Works Department will begin accepting applications for available ARPA grant funds on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, July 29, 2022. 
 
Current Funding Opportunities
Pierce County Planning and Public Works Department will be accepting applications for two capital infrastructure programs: the Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Partnership Program and the Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Support Program.
 
Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Partnership Program: Up to $8 million 
This Partnership Program is intended to provide funding to partnering entities that can contribute a significant share of construction costs to a project.
 
Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Support Program: Up to $2 million 
This Support Program is intended to provide grants to smaller local governments and nonprofit or co-op water system owners for at-risk sewer and water infrastructure.
 
The applications and more details on the grant program are available at www.piercecountywa.gov/ARPAUtility.

For questions related to this grant program, please contact Dana Larsen, Strategic Planning and Asset Manager, at [email protected].