Philadelphia House Delegation celebrates infrastructure grants

Group also hails large amount of arts and history investments

Philadelphia House Delegation    December 19, 2023 | 2:28 PM

Today, the Philadelphia House Delegation praised the Commonwealth Financing Authority announcement of over $30 million of investment into the city of Philadelphia.

This includes nearly $25 million in water and sewer infrastructure and over $5.5 million in arts and culture. Three grants were awarded as part of the American Rescue Plan Act funds to the H2O PA – Water Supply, Sanitary Sewer and Storm Water Projects Program, intended to assist with the construction of drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm water projects.

The grants are as follows:

  • $5,477,902 for upgrades to the Queen Lane raw water pump station power.
  • $15,000,000 for construction of an effluent pump station at the Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant.
  • $4,183,188 for sewer line improvement along the 21st Street storm sewer.

Delegation Chairwoman, Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., said these grants will solidify the foundation of city water and sewer utilities to be better prepared in the case of an emergency.

“These grants requested by our members are in line with our delegation’s Philadelphia Platform to address infrastructure and climate readiness. Updating and modernizing these crucial utilities will support continued water and sewer service across the city and ensure that our communities are not left without these vital services or inundated with runoff during times of flooding or emergency,” Cephas said. “With natural disasters happening more frequently due to climate change, the foundation of our utilities must be solid.”

The CFA additionally announced grants from the ARPA PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program (PACR) today. There were 394 grants totaling $5,546,750 for various arts, cultural and historical organizations across Philadelphia.

Delegation Vice Chair, Rep. Danilo Burgos, D-Phila., said that the arts are an integral part of life in Philadelphia.

“Our city speaks through arts. The arts in Philadelphia are a fundamental part of our lives and culture, a distinctive trait in the DNA of our community. I am pleased to welcome these grants that will help support and create essential programs,” Burgos said.

“This funding ratifies our commitment to strengthen the awarded organizations and continuing to keep our world renown historical and cultural facilities operating at the high level expected of a world class city like Philadelphia.”

Majority House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Phila., has been a leader in advocating for these investments because of their effect in communities across Philadelphia.

"As Majority House Appropriations Chairman, I will use my role to ensure these state resources come back to Philadelphia. These grants have a direct impact on the folks that we serve from modernizing our water and waste systems to uplifting our communities with arts and culture,” Harris said. “Nearly every neighborhood in Philadelphia is touched in some way with these investments in our local organizations and infrastructure. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues advocating for our communities and delivering for Philadelphia.”

CFA was established in 2004 as an independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development to administer Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages. Both H2O PA and PACR grants are awarded from ARPA funds from the federal government for post-COVID pandemic recovery and stability.