Multibillion Dollar Construction Grant Program: Are Controls Over Federal Funds Adequate?

Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing billions of dollars in grants each year to build publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities, Congress does not have assurance that these are properly planned, designed, and constructed. Grantees, usually municipalities contributing from 5 percent to 25 percent of project funding, are expected to provide such assurance. However, they generally rely on consulting engineers to develop accurate, complete, and cost effective designs. They rely also on the engineer and construction contractor to assure that construction complies with detailed plans and specifications.