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Enhances our pursuit of funding for clean energy projects, green infrastructure, and water system improvements.

Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) announces the award of a $202,388 grant from The Heinz Endowments to expand fundraising capacity. The grant will fund a new position focused on pursuing federal grants to support our sustainability goals, projects to protect the environment and enhance the water services customers rely on.  

Since 2018, we have received more than $700 million, primarily in low-interest loans as well as grants, from state and federal partners. This external funding expedites projects that will protect public health and improve water reliability now and for future generations of customers. Specifically, this funding has gone towards the replacement of thousands of lead pipes as well as projects that will modernize our drinking water system and reduce service interruptions.  

Funding from The Heinz Endowments is part of its investment of up to $10 million to expand our region’s capacity to compete for federal funds through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other government programs, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). PWSA’s mission to protect public health and the environment aligns with their vision to strengthen infrastructure, support sustainable development, and improve the quality of life for residents in Pittsburgh and throughout our region.  

“It’s our responsibility to be proactive and compete for federal dollars to reduce the costs of our essential, but costly, infrastructure projects,” said PWSA CEO Will Pickering. “This gracious and strategic investment from The Heinz Endowments will ensure we seize the once-in-a-generation opportunity presented by the BIL and IRA for the benefit of our region and the environment,” he continued.   

"PWSA has been a regional leader in infrastructure improvements to protect public health and the environment," said Matt Barron, Program Director for Sustainability at The Heinz Endowments. "We are proud to support their efforts to accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources and continue to build a modern and resilient drinking water system that will serve generations to come." 

Over the past several years, we have invested more than $700 million to transform the water systems our customers rely on. This work uses a combination of local, state, and federal grants that do not need to be repaid, low-interest loans, and ratepayer dollars. Funding from our government partners and local foundations helps to expedite this work while reducing the onus on ratepayers. 

PWSA hired its first grants administrator in late 2023 to improve current fundraising efforts and expand fundraising to newly available federal sources. With two full-time staff dedicated to fundraising, we can pursue additional grant opportunities and tap into sources available for green and environmental projects that will advance our use of renewable energy, enhance long-term stormwater planning, and improve water quality in our rivers and streams. 

“With support from The Heinz Endowments, we are better positioned to access the funding available for infrastructure projects,” said PWSA’s Director of Finance Ed Barca. “During this time of unprecedented investment in our water systems, we owe it to our customers to pursue every possible source of funding so we can effectively reduce the cost of these improvements over time.”  

As a non-profit, publicly owned and operated water utility, we are eligible for these more cost-effective grants and loans, which are invested directly back into the system without profit motive. To learn more about our finances and use of ratepayer dollars, please visit www.pgh2o.com/about-

Visit highlight’s PWSA Utilization of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill dollars

Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) was recognized for its quick and efficient use of federal infrastructure dollars to remove the risk of lead in drinking water during Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael Regan’s visit to Pittsburgh Tuesday. Their visit centered the importance of reliable, safe drinking water and the impact the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill has had on communities across the nation who are investing in water infrastructure.   

The delegation visited a PWSA lead service line replacement site in Elliott for an intimate look at how lead pipes are removed from our drinking water system. Vice President Harris also spoke at the Kingsley Association where, in nearby neighborhoods, PWSA has replaced hundreds of lead service lines, delivering on our mission to protect public health in the communities we serve. 

"Access to clean water is an infrastructure and public health matter, which is why the Biden Administration has prioritized this issue to ensure people have access to what they need to be healthy regardless of how much money they have in their back pocket," said Vice President Kamala Harris during her remarks at the Kingsley Association. 

Since PWSA began its effort to remove the risk of lead in drinking water in 2016, it has replaced more than 10,800 public and over 7,600 private lead service lines. There is no safe level of lead in drinking water, so PWSA’s aggressive lead service line replacement program is the most effective approach to protecting water quality now, and for future generations. With years of experience, PWSA has been recognized as an industry leader in lead pipe remediation, consulting with water utilities and governments across the country on best-practices for their programs.  

“We thank Vice President Harris and EPA Administrator Regan for their continued acknowledgement of the progress PWSA is making to improve public health in Pittsburgh,” said PWSA CEO Will Pickering. “Federal funding has allowed us to accelerate the pace of replacements and reduce the burden placed on our ratepayers for this costly construction endeavor,” he said. 

To date, PWSA has received over $43 million in grants and over $23 million in low interest loans from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill for this essential work. Coupled with the tens of millions received in state funding since 2017, we can expedite the replacement of lead service lines and are more than halfway to our goal of replacing all lead pipes by 2026. Utilizing these funds while they are available has been a top priority for PWSA, as grant money allows for work to be done at no direct cost to our customers, and low interest loans allow for millions in savings over time compared to traditional municipal bonds. 

To see if you have a lead line, learn more about PWSA lead remediation programs, and tap into resources like lead test kits and filters, visit lead.pgh2o.com.

How reinvestment strategies help keep our rates as low as possible and save customers in the long run.

PWSA’s standing as a publicly owned and operated utility is a win for our customers. This status means every dollar we receive from customers is invested back into our water systems, a benefit for all of those we serve. At PWSA, it’s about service, not the bottom line – we don’t have shareholders and don’t generate a profit.

The financial picture I’m painting is to get at something of great importance to our customers. Because of our public status, we’re eligible for cost-effective, low-interest loans and grants from local, state, and federal funding sources. 

This kind of external funding keeps rates as low as possible during a time when we’re making unprecedented levels of investment in our essential water systems. 

In 2023, PWSA secured more than $150 million in new low-interest loans and $22 million in grant funding from a mix of federal and state programs. PWSA is committed to leveraging as many of these outside financing options as possible to minimize the burden to customers to pay for necessary upgrades to our aging water system.