On Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provided $789 billion to create or save jobs over the following two years. The Recovery Act has three immediate goals.

• Create new jobs and save existing ones.

  
  

• Spur economic activity and invest in long-term growth.

  
  

• Foster unprecedented levels of accountability and transparency in government spending.

  
  

ARRA funding is administered through 28 federal agencies, each of which was required to have comprehensive plans in place for how the money would be spent. The Environmental Protection Agency administers funds for water and wastewater projects.

The Texas Water Development Board received $326 million from EPA to help communities across the state improve their water and wastewater infrastructures.

At the end of 2008, the TWDB launched a comprehensive outreach campaign about the stimulus funding available for water projects.

As a result of this effort, the TWDB identified over $6.6 billion in eligible projects that could be ready to proceed to construction within the deadlines established by the ARRA.

TWDB ARRA funds are paying for 109 projects located in 45 communities across the state through its Drinking Water and Clean Water (Wastewater) programs. Some of the projects are funded by grants; others are loans. At least 50 percent has gone to disadvantaged communities in need of assistance. Twenty percent are “green” projects that demonstrate water or energy efficiency or enviornmental innovation.

State agencies and local entities receiving funds must file weekly, monthly and quarterly financial reports on how the funds are used. In addition, citizens are encouraged to report suspected fraud, waste or abuse.