Illinois EPA Offers $1.5M for Water Supply Energy Upgrades

IL EPA News

Published March 2nd, 2026

Detected March 3rd, 2026

Summary

The Illinois EPA is offering up to $1.5 million in grant funding for energy efficiency upgrades at public water supply facilities. Projects will range from $50,000 to $500,000, with applications due by May 4, 2026. This program is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has announced a new grant program offering up to $1.5 million to publicly owned public water supply facilities for energy efficiency upgrades. Individual awards will range from $50,000 to $500,000, requiring a 10-20% match depending on geographic location. Eligible projects include pump and motor upgrades, variable frequency drives, demand management, and HVAC/lighting improvements, based on third-party energy assessments.

Public water supply facilities interested in this funding must submit applications by 5:00 PM on May 4, 2026. The program prioritizes projects demonstrating cost-effectiveness, energy savings, and benefits to environmental justice communities. This initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

What to do next

Review eligibility criteria for the Public Water Supply Energy Efficiency (PWSEE) grant program.
Prepare and submit grant applications by the May 4, 2026 deadline.
Ensure proposed projects are based on third-party energy efficiency assessments.

Source document (simplified)

March 2, 2026 K im Biggs, Illinois EP A FOR IMMEDIA TE RE LEASE 217 -558- 15 36 kim.bigg s@illinois.gov Illinois EP A Announces $1.5 Millio n in Funding Available for Energy Efficiency Upgr ades at P ublic W ater Supply Facilities Springfield – The Illinois Environmental P rot ection Agency’ s (Illinois EP A) Office of E nergy is offering up to $1,500,000 in gr ant funding available to support ener gy efficiency projects a t publicly owned public water s upply (PWS) f acilities, commonly r eferr ed to as drinking water t reatm ent plants (DWTP). Awarded projects w ill r ange from $50,000 to $ 50 0,000 with match a r equir ement of 10-20% based on g eogr aphic locatio n. Application materi als ar e available at the Illinois EP A Office of Energy PWS Energy Efficiency Gr ant P rogr a m webpage. The applicatio n period close s at 5:00 pm on May 4, 2026. Eligible projects m ust be based on r ecommendatio ns from a thir d-party energy efficiency as ses sment and may include pump and m otor equipment upgr ades, instal lment of variable fr equency drive s, ener gy demand management enhancements, o r HV A C and lighting impr ovements. “Energy efficiency at public water supply f acilities is critic al for oper a tional re silience and environmental performance, ” said Illinois EP A Acting Director James Jenning s. “B y inve sting in the se improv ements, utilities str engthen s ystem r eliability while ad vancing long-term sustainability goals. ” The P ublic W ater Supply Energy Efficiency (PWSEE) gr ant p rogr am is funded thr ough the U. S. Department of Ener gy Infr astructur e Inv estment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds and wil l prioritiz e projects tha t demonstr ate cost effectivenes s, energy cos t saving s, ener gy r a te, and benefits to envir onment al justice communities. The initial funding opportunity for the PWSEE awarded $ 483,000 to three Il linois PWS fac ilities, enabling upgr ade s such as lighting and control s ystems, pump or drive r eplacements, and HV A C m odifications. These impr ov ements are pr ojected to s ave a total of ov er 715,000 kWh of electricity annually. Availability o f other Illinois EP A g r ants and loans for public w ater infr as tructur e visit the Illinois EP A Gr ants & Loa ns page. F or more inf ormation about Offic e of Energy pr ogr amming, including the PWSEE Gr ant P rogr a m, please visit Office of Ener gy or call 217- 785- 8841. ###