The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $49 million in grants to expand technical assistance for rural, small, and tribal communities seeking to improve wastewater infrastructure and meet Clean Water Act requirements and advancing access to reliable sanitation services.
Announced on April 29, the funding is being provided through the agency’s Rural, Small, and Tribal Clean Water Technical Assistance Grant Program. The initiative is designed to help communities plan and design critical wastewater projects and access financing through state and federal programs.
Six organizations are expected to receive federal grants—once legal and administrative requirements are completed—to deliver this assistance: the National Rural Water Association, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Southwest Environmental Finance Center, Alaska Municipal League, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), and the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research. These providers will support local governments with technical assessments, assistance in navigating funding opportunities, and efforts to strengthen operational and financial capacity for wastewater systems.
The grants will support early-stage project development, including planning, design, and assistance in securing infrastructure financing. By helping communities prepare for infrastructure upgrades, the program aims to improve public health outcomes and environmental compliance in historically underserved areas.
Implementation of the grants is expected to begin following the completion of administrative processing. The program aims to benefit underserved communities across the country, particularly those facing long-standing challenges in accessing water infrastructure funding.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-49-million-technical-assistance-help-rural-small-and-tribal-0#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%93%20The%20U.S.%20Environmental%20Protection,Water%20Technical%20Assistance%20Grant%20Program.
https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/us-epa/epa-announces-49-million-help-rural-small-and-tribal-communities-tackle-wastewater