AQUARIUS Recognition Program
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a $62 billion federal-state partnership dedicated to protecting America’s public health. The program finances the construction and rehabilitation of critical drinking water infrastructure, along with public health-focused programs and activities across our nation. The DWSRF AQUARIUS program nationally recognizes DWSRF-funded projects for exceptional focus on five main areas. These projects are examples of the high level of innovation possible with the DWSRF.
States participating in this voluntary recognition program can nominate one DWSRF project during the 2025 round. All DWSRF projects are eligible for nomination, as long as the project (or a distinct project phase) is complete. The project must meet three criteria to be eligible:
- Address the most serious risk to human health;
- Necessary to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act; and
- Assist systems most in need, on a per household basis, according to state-determined affordability criteria
This year, one “Exceptional Project” will be selected for each of the six categories below:
- Excellence in Innovative Financing: project utilizes a variety of techniques to provide the best deal to the assistance recipient, including additional subsidy and co-financing with other state and federal agencies.
- Excellence in System Partnerships: project involves several stakeholders who work together and utilize DWSRF funding to solve various drinking water system challenges. Solutions include consolidation for public health reasons or creation of a regional drinking water system.
- Excellence in Community Engagement: project occurs because of active community participation, and the community is engaged in all aspects of the project.
- Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection: project addresses health-based violations with primary drinking water standards, emerging contaminants of concern, or public health threats to a non-regulated community (e.g., community on private wells).
- Excellence in Creative Solutions: project utilizes DWSRF funding to accomplish goals and ultimately increase public health benefits for the community. This category is broad and may overlap with the other five categories above.
2025 Projects
On April 23, 2025 EPA recognized state and community representatives for excellent and innovative projects within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs at the Council of Water Infrastructure Financing Authorities (CIFA). These exemplary projects demonstrate leadership in innovative financing, partnership and problem solving while improving water quality and public health protection.
Below are the Exceptional Project winners and a list of honorable mentions. Stay tuned! We will be releasing more information about the AQUARIUS projects later this year.
Excellence in Innovative Financing - New Hampshire
RECIPIENT: Merrimack Village District
PROJECT: Wells 2,3,7,8 PFAS and Iron/Manganese Treatment
Merrimack Village District (MVD) water system serves 25,000 people throughout the Town of Merrimack, New Hampshire, and is located at the center of a regional groundwater site contaminated by air deposition of PFAS from the emissions of plastics manufacturing facilities. Sampling results from thousands of private wells and over 100 community wells in the region contained PFAS levels exceeding one or more of EPA's health standards known as maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the final PFAS drinking water rule. MVD identified four community wells that had high concentrations of PFOA and PFOS present.
MVD secured co-funding for a $14.5 million project with a $6.5 million DWSRF loan, a $6.26 million NH Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund (DWGTF) loan, and a $1.45 million DWGTF grant. In 2020, MVD refinanced the DWSRF and DWGTF loans with the newly established New Hampshire PFAS Remediation Loan Fund which provides low interest loans with up to 50 percent principal forgiveness contingent on funds from judgements or settlements received by the state from lawsuits against the manufacturers of PFAS. Refinancing significantly reduced the cost to water ratepayers. An American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant component of $1.5 million was also added in 2021. Following the completion of the project, PFAS levels in the affected wells are below EPA's maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). MVD has also extended water mains to connect the public water supply to enable properties that previously relied on private wells contaminated by PFAS.
Excellence in System Partnerships - California
Recipient: Stanislaus Regional Water Authority
Project: Regional Surface Water Supply Project
In California, the City of Turlock (~71,000 people) and the City of Ceres (~45,000 people), relied solely on groundwater. Both cities were experiencing diminishing water quality and lack of supply reliability, with sampled results from multiple wells showing elevated levels of various contaminants including arsenic, nitrate, uranium, 1,2,3-trichloropropane, and tetrachloroethylene.
In partnership, the cities formed a joint power authority – the Stanislaus Regional Water Authority – and constructed a 15 million gallon per day surface water treatment plant along the Tuolumne River. The Stanislaus Regional Water Authority secured a $184 million DWSRF loan from the California State Water Resources Board to construct the water treatment plant, a new pump station, a raw water transmission main, and two finished water transmission mains. This partnership was crucial in addressing the challenges faced by both cities, improving water quality, and strengthening long term water supply reliability. The project also received $30 million from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Proposition 68 Restoration Grant Program funding, which helped reduce the cities’ dependence on groundwater, thus increasing drought preparedness.
Excellence in Community Engagement – New Jersey
RECIPIENT: Bloomfield Township
PROJECT: Lead Service Replacement Phases
In 2019, elevated lead in 11 of 69 drinking water samples in Bloomfield Township, New Jersey resulted in a Lead Action Level Exceedance indicating that levels in the drinking water samples exceeded the standard set by EPA at 15 parts per billion. In response, the Township secured a $3.31 million DWSRF loan with $2.55 million in principal forgiveness to identify and replace lead service lines. As of May 2024, the Township has replaced with 798 lead service lines.
Following the lead action level exceedance, the Bloomfield Mayor and Town Council hosted a public forum on lead exposure prevention to address findings from testing drinking water in Bloomfield’s water connection systems and residential homes for lead. During the forum, town government officials provided residents with information on reducing health risks from lead exposure in drinking water while Bloomfield Department of Health representatives were available to answer questions. Additionally, the Township continues to offer free blood lead level testing to any residents concerned about potential lead build-up in faucets and plumbing fixtures in their homes. The Township website hosts lead-related information, including presentations, the annual Consumer Confidence Report, and general guidance on reducing potential risks from lead in drinking water, for residents to access at any time.
A crucial part of the Township’s community engagement efforts is its outreach to public schools, as children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of exposure to lead in drinking water. Every May, Bloomfield High School students are invited to visit the Township’s Engineering Department, where they learn about the water system and participate in discussions on lead in drinking water. This initiative provides students with valuable information on how to protect their health by reducing exposure to lead in drinking water, that they can share with their family.
Excellence in Environmental and Public Health Protection – Missouri
RECIPIENT: City of Pineville
PROJECT: Water Improvement Projects
The City of Pineville has historically struggled with its Mountain Ridge Well, which was shut down in 2015 due to radionuclide contamination exceeding EPA’s maximum contaminant level (MCL). With the well out of service, the City relied on a booster pump station to maintain water pressure throughout the system.
The City of Pineville secured a $2.38 million DWSRF loan, including a $1.78 million grant, and contributed $182,283 in local funds to add Water Remediation Technology (WRT) to remove radionuclides from the well. The project also included building a new 200,000-gallon water tower and replacing 2,500 feet of water main to add storage, improve water distribution, and boost pressure. These improvements removed the need for the booster pump station and resolved low pressure problems in the area. The city now has a modern, well-functioning water system that provides drinking water free from radionuclides.
Excellence in Creative Solutions – Texas
RECIPIENT: Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation
PROJECT: Water Plant Improvements
The Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation serves the unincorporated community of Ellinger, a rural area in Fayette County, Texas with a population of 203. For years, the Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation struggled with high arsenic in its water. The water system faced challenges with financing the necessary infrastructure improvements without increasing water rates, which would have been burdensome for many of the residents living in a low-income community. In 2017, EPA issued an Administrative Order on the Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation to bring its water system into compliance with the arsenic maximum contaminant limit (MCL) of 10 parts per billion.
As a result, Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation secured a $863,000 loan from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to drill a new well for an alternate water supply source. After multiple attempts, the Corporation was unable to find a local groundwater source with arsenic levels low enough levels to meet drinking water standards. The Corporation then applied for $1.4 million of additional funding through DWSRF with approximately 45 percent principal forgiveness under the Urgent Need-Securing Safe Water Initiative. This allowed them to install an arsenic treatment system and replace a standpipe with a new 50,000-gallon ground storage tank to ensure a reliable water supply.
The Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation addressed multiple challenges under one project by leveraging co-funding from USDA and DWSRF to assist a very small water system in addressing high arsenic levels in its source water by installing treatment, in addition to providing water storage and replacing existing infrastructure. The Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation now provides to its rural service area reliable drinking water that meets Safe Drinking Water Act arsenic standards.
Honorable Mentions
|
Recipient |
Project Name |
|
City of Las Vegas, New Mexico |
Hanna Park Reclamation Project |
|
Lewes Board of Public Works, Delaware |
Lewes Donovan Smith Manufactured Home Park |
|
County Commissioners of Allegany County, Maryland |
Route 36 Water Line Replacement |
|
Perkasie Regional Authority, Pennsylvania |
PFAS Line Extension |
|
Town of Hillsville, Virginia |
Lead Service Line Inventory |
|
Town of Elizabeth, West Virginia |
Munday Road, Fish Hatchery Road and Enterprise Road Waterline Extension |
|
Darlington County Water & Sewer Authority, South Carolina |
Phase 22 – Water Line Extensions |
|
Town of New Richmond, Indiana |
Drinking Water System Improvements |
|
Bedford Charter Township, Michigan |
River Road Water Main Extension |
|
Yuma County Improvement District (Tacna Water), Arizona |
Tacna Water Storage Tank |
|
City of Lewiston, Idaho |
Lewiston Water Treatment Plant Retrofit |
PREVIOUS YEARS
2022 AQUARIUS Project Compendium (pdf)
2021 AQUARIUS Recognition Program Compendium (pdf)
2020 AQUARIUS Program Compendium (pdf)
2019 AQUARIUS Recognition Program Compendium (EPA 816-K-17001) (pdf)