Colorado is set to receive $1.5M-plus from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help address stormwater and sewer infrastructure from the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program, the EPA announced Wednesday, April 29.
The available funds Colorado is set to receive come from approximately $80 million from the OSG program, a program that helps communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs across the country.
The agency will provide funding from both fiscal years 2025 and 2026 totaling $1,561,000 to Colorado, which will be awarded to communities in the Centennial state.
“These grants will strengthen systems that safely capture and manage stormwater to help prevent contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting nearby waterways,” the EPS said.
Allocation dollar amounts for the FY 2025 & FY 2026 from OSG program:
| State Entity | FY25 Total Allotment | Percent of Total | FY26 Total Allotment | Percent of Total |
| Region 8 | $ 1,925,000 | $ 1,924,000 | ||
| Colorado | $ 781,000 | 1.92% | $780,000 | 1.92% |
| Montana | $203,000 | 0.5% | $203,000 | 0.5% |
| North Dakota | $203,000 | 0.5% | $203,000 | 0.5% |
| South Dakota | $203,000 | 0.5% | $203,000 | 0.5% |
| Utah | $332,000 | 0.8% | $332,000 | 0.8% |
| Wyoming | $203,000 | 0.5% | $203,000 | 0.5% |
According to the EPA, at least 25% of each state grant must fund eligible projects in financially distressed communities and/or to communities with a population of 10,000 or less.
EPA Assistant Administrator for Water, Jess Kramer weighed in on the announcement.
“Stormwater and sewage systems are critical for managing pollution to keep our nation’s waterways clean and support healthy people, economic growth, and thriving ecosystems,” Kramer said. “This $80 million investment will help states upgrade stormwater management systems to address the threat of aging and inadequate infrastructure.”
According to the EPA, stormwater can be a significant source of water pollution as well as a public health concern. It can collect various pollutants, including trash, chemicals, oils and dirt/sediment, and convey them to nearby waterways.
“When mixed with domestic and industrial wastewater in combined sewers, stormwater can also contribute to combined sewer overflows during heavy storm events,” EPA said.
EPA Regional Administrator for Mountains and Plains, Cyrus Western, also spoke about the announcement.
“These sewer overflow grants demonstrate EPA’s commitment to protecting water quality for all Americans, including small communities that face unique infrastructure challenges,” Western said. “In our mountain and plains region, many communities are rural. This funding is a big win, helping modernize local systems, prevent overflows and keep rivers and streams clean.”
The EPA said that safely and effectively managing stormwater to reduce pollution before it reaches local waterways is essential, but the cost to construct, operate and maintain stormwater infrastructure can be significant.
The EPA said those costs can strain wastewater systems and their customers, especially in small and financially distressed communities.
The agency’s OSG program prioritizes projects for small and/or financially distressed communities and under existing regulations, state grantees are not required to contribute cost shares for projects located in small and/or financially distressed communities.
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