Update on KY WWATERS Program- Applications Open!

The Interim Joint Committee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement received an update today on the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems (KY WWATERS) Program from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority (KIA). 

Created during the 2024 legislative session and amended in 2026, the KY WWATERS Program provides an application and evaluation process for eligible public water and wastewater systems to seek funding from the General Assembly. The program is designed to assist financially troubled and economically restrained systems with critical infrastructure needs. 

During the program's first year, the General Assembly approved funding for 34 projects totaling more than $87 million. Of those projects, 23 have completed the assistance agreement process, representing more than $64 million in funding, while 11 projects totaling more than $23 million continue working through required documentation. KIA Executive Director Sandy Williams noted KIA is working closely with applicants throughout the process, many of whom are applying for state grant funding for the first time. 

Committee members heard an update on House Bill 651, which passed during the 2026 legislative session and altered the KY WWATERS Program. Among the changes, applicants must now meet at least three eligibility criteria to qualify for funding, and additional scoring measures were added to better evaluate project readiness, financial need, and overall community impact. These changes reflect the program’s emphasis on prioritizing struggling systems most in need of assistance. 

The committee also heard examples of projects supported through the program. In Livingston, KY WWATERS funding is being used to repay the city's outstanding debt. In Sturgis, funding helped replace aging and leaking waterlines, reducing water loss, and lowering water treatment costs for the city. 

Looking ahead, KIA announced that applications for the 2027 funding cycle are now being accepted through Aug. 31. The KIA Board will evaluate and score applications before submitting funding recommendations to the General Assembly by Dec. 1 for consideration during the 2027 legislative session. 

 The application for this program can be found HERE.

A presentation with additional program information can be found HERE.​​