March 25, 2022 – El Paso County is accepting applications for its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant funding opportunity. The county has allocated $20 million in ARPA funding for necessary investments in water and wastewater infrastructure, to include improvements to drinking water infrastructure, upgrading facilities, managing sewage and other eligible uses.
“The community has expressed great interest in this particular grant, and it truly is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many communities and projects,” said Commissioner Holly Williams. “This grant will have a monumental impact for decades to come, as it increases peoples’ access to clean drinking water, and replaces many aging infrastructures.”
All levels of infrastructure have seen increased demands during the pandemic, and our water and wastewater infrastructures are no exception. This $20 million allocation will help El Paso County preserve and be better stewards of our most precious and scarce resource, and is an investment directly allowed under ARPA guidance.
The application opens Monday, March 28, 2022, and will remain open through Friday, April 22, at 5:00 pm.
Application Eligibility:
- All projects must meet federal eligibility requirements, which include 17 project categories under guidelines published through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- Projects must be located in El Paso County
The entire allocation for this funding is $20 million and the county expects to fund several projects. A portion of the funding will be reserved specifically for smaller communities and projects.
El Paso County will be hosting a pre-application webinar on April 4 at 11:30 am to answer specific application related questions. To participate in the webinar please join using this link. Participants are encouraged to send questions ahead of time to ARPArequests@elpasoco.com. If you require accommodations or need a translator, please send an email to JyotsnaKhattri@elpasoco.com with your request by March 30.
The application is a fillable PDF available here and on El Paso County’s ARPA page. All completed applications and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically to ARPArequests@elpasoco.com. For more information about the ARPA grant assistance and how to apply, please visit