WILMINGTON, DE — A new infusion of nearly $2 million in federal-backed funding is pushing Wilmington’s long-running effort to confront toxic PFAS contamination while shielding residents from steep water rate increases.
The City of Wilmington’s Water Division, known as Wilmington Water, has been awarded $1,983,661 to support treatment systems targeting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often referred to as “forever chemicals.” The grant flows from the State of Delaware through its State Revolving Fund and is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities program.
The funding was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is designed to help communities address emerging contaminants in drinking water, expand technical assistance, provide household testing, train local contractors, and support rapid response to water quality threats.
City officials said the award builds on a previous $7,000,000 state allocation for PFAS treatment, which included $4,116,009 in principal forgiveness. Wilmington qualified for the assistance under federal disadvantaged community guidelines, with more than 70 percent of the city’s census tracts designated as disadvantaged and nearly 47 percent of residents classified as low income under EPA definitions.
Without the outside funding, officials said, ratepayers would face significant increases to cover the cost of treatment upgrades needed to protect public health and maintain system reliability.
In total, Wilmington has secured nearly $80 million in infrastructure funding through programs tied to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Recent awards and loans include $2,437,134 for PFAS-related emerging contaminants, $10,000,000 in fully forgiven funding for lead service line replacement, $1,500,000 in fully forgiven PFAS removal financing, and partial loan forgiveness for water infrastructure improvements along Adams Street.
Over the past decade, the city has invested more than $200 million from federal, state, and local sources to modernize water and wastewater systems while limiting the financial burden on customers. Projects have included reinforcement of the Hoopes Reservoir, construction of a renewable energy facility at the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, and expanded protection of South Wilmington wetlands.
“We’re extremely thankful for the trust the state has placed in us to continue with our infrastructure and treatment improvements,” said Kelly Williams, commissioner of the City of Wilmington Department of Public Works. She said the city is focused on upgrading systems in ways that protect public health while keeping water service affordable.
Williams said the work is far from finished and that Wilmington will continue to pursue every available funding opportunity to deliver safe, reliable water and wastewater services as regulatory standards tighten and environmental risks grow.
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