EPA has awarded more than $3.6 billion in grants across the U.S. and its territories to upgrade water infrastructure that is needed to manage wastewater, protect local freshwater resources, and deliver drinking water, the EPA said.

This funding is part of a five-year, $50 billion investment in water infrastructure through the Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) designed to ensure investments reach communities that need the funds the most, according to the EPA. Furthermore, IIJA mandates that a majority of the funding must be provided to disadvantaged communities in the form of grants or loans that do not have to be repaid, EPA said.