BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has been awarded a $2.375 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen the community’s drinking water system against cybersecurity and extreme weather threats.
The funding comes through the EPA’s Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program, which supports projects designed to improve the ability of utilities to withstand and recover from disruptions. The EPA announced more than $11 million in resilience grants to 10 midsize and large drinking water systems nationwide. CBU received the largest award in this grant program alongside the City of San Diego, California.
CBU will use the grant funding to improve the resilience of Bloomington’s water system through upgrades to the Monroe Water Treatment Plant, including backup generators and enhancements to its control systems. The facility is located in a rural, heavily wooded area near Lake Monroe, making it particularly vulnerable to power outages caused by high winds and fallen trees.
”I’m grateful for the opportunity this grant will provide CBU to enhance resiliency at our water treatment plant,” said Utilities Director Katherine Zaiger. “Investments like this allow us to ensure continuous service to our customers in the face of increased threats of extreme weather and cybersecurity attacks targeting water utilities.”
As Bloomington continues to grow and the challenges facing water utilities evolve, investments in resilience are essential to maintaining reliable service. This grant will help CBU strengthen critical infrastructure today while building a more secure and dependable drinking water system for Bloomington’s future.
