Federal Water Programs Committee – Membership Solicitation

The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) is currently accepting applications for the Federal Water Programs Committee (FPC).

The FPC consists of representatives from public water systems, domestic water improvement or sanitary districts, cities, and towns of various sizes:

• A public water system that serves five hundred or more connections

• A public water system that serves less than five hundred connections

• A domestic water improvement district or sanitary district in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons

• A domestic water improvement district or sanitary district in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more persons

• A city or town with a population of less than fifty thousand persons

• A city or town with a population of more than fifty thousand persons

• A county with a population of five hundred thousand or more persons

There are currently two vacant positions: one for a DWID or sanitary district in a county with less than 500,000 persons, and one for a DWID or sanitary district in a county with 500,000 or more persons.

Role of the FPC

The FPC reviews applications for financial assistance from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds and makes recommendations to the WIFA Board regarding those applications. The FPC meets several times per year to review financial assistance applications, and the WIFA Board may require the committee to hold additional meetings to consider applications that are or may become time sensitive. The committee also allows members of the public to provide comment on any application considered by the committee at a meeting.

The FPC is considered a subcommittee of the WIFA Board for the purposes of Arizona Revised Statute section 49-1206.

The purpose of the SRF programs is to provide financial assistance to political subdivisions, Indian tribes and eligible drinking water facilities for constructing, acquiring or improving wastewater treatment facilities, drinking water facilities, nonpoint source projects and other related water quality facilities and projects.

Committee membership carries with it an obligation to participate actively in committee work through active attendance at committee meetings, reviewing and discussing staff reports, loan applications, policies and procedures, and other technical information.

Interested parties should submit a completed application form and resume to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

WIFA Announces Expanded Leadership Team

Expert leadership brings wealth of experience to support WIFA’s expansion.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | press release.pdf

[PHOENIX, February 10,2023] – The Arizona Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) expanded its leadership team today with the hiring Lindsey Jones, Joe Citelli, and Chelsea McGuire. Jones will serve as the Assistant Director of Water Projects; Citelli will be the General Counsel, and McGuire will be the Assistant Director of External Affairs. “These are the exact leaders that WIFA needs right now as we grow into our exciting new role,” said WIFA Director Chuck Podolak

Lindsey Jones, who has been with WIFA since 2019, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. With a bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology and Ecology and a master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy, Lindsey’s thesis centered on tribal water issues. Lindsey is a proven leader within WIFA who has been leading a team of water project experts. Lindsey says, “I am greatly honored to be given this new leadership opportunity and am excited to see what the future holds as WIFA works towards its mission of ensuring the sustainability of Arizona’s present and future water supply.”

Joe Citelli comes to WIFA from the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, where he served as Chief Counsel and lead the Legal Department. A 2019 Fellow with the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy, Joe has a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Political Science and a JD from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Joe remarked, “I am honored to be offered the opportunity to join WIFA and excited to contribute to their vital mission of providing financial and technical assistance for water infrastructure across Arizona.”

Chelsea McGuire, an Arizona native and former Director of Government Relations for the Arizona Farm Bureau, will serve as the Assistant Director of External Affairs. With a degree in Agribusiness Economics and Management from the University of Arizona and a JD from Regent University School of Law, Chelsea has led the Farm Bureau’s lobbying efforts on critical issues such as water rights, environmental regulations, and tax policy. A respected voice at the Capitol and in the media, Chelsea said, “When it comes to water, the need for action and innovation has never been greater. I believe WIFA will play a critical role in helping to secure our state’s water future, and I’m honored to join this team as we carry out this great responsibility.”

WIFA looks forward to the contributions of Lindsey, Joe, and Chelsea as they work together to fulfill the organization’s mission of providing financial and technical assistance for water infrastructure across Arizona.

About WIFA

WIFA is a state agency dedicated to protecting public health and promoting environmental quality through financial assistance for water infrastructure, conservation, and augmentation. WIFA is Arizona's administrator of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF and DWSRF), providing low-interest loans and technical assistance to water and clean water infrastructure projects, as well as three new funds aimed at conserving water and identifying new supplies. Over the last 30 years, WIFA has proudly invested almost $3 billion in communities throughout Arizona driving sustainable solutions and helping to secure Arizona’s water future.

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