Background
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended
in 1996, established the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
to make funds available to drinking water systems to finance infrastructure
improvements. The Act also authorizes EPA to set-aside up to 0.33
percent, of the amount available for the DWSRF grants to States,
for grants to improve the infrastructure of drinking water systems
located in:
- Virgin Islands,
- American Samoa,
- Guam, and
- the Northern Mariana Islands.
Community water systems, and non-profit, non-community
water systems, are eligible to have projects funded.
Most types of projects that improve the health
of the public being served by the drinking water system are eligible
for funding. Some examples are projects that:
- rehabilitate or develop a source of drinking water,
- or install or upgrade treatment, storage, or transmission facilities.
Funds may also be used to conduct project feasibility
studies, engineering design work, and for project administration.
EPA may award a grant to either the government of one of the four
territories, or directly award a grant to a public water system
in a territory.
Allotment of Program Funds
The funds set-aside each year are allotted, by formula, among the
four territories, on the basis of
- population (5%);
- geographical area (2.5%);
- the number of community water systems and non-transient non-community
water systems (14%);
- the number of transient non-community water systems (3.5%);
- and the “infrastructure needs” of the water systems
in each territory as identified in the most current Drinking Water
Infrastructure Needs Survey (75%).
Each territory is guaranteed a minimum allotment which is the greater
of $150,000 or 7.5% of the total funds available for the program.
EPA Headquarters calculates the allotments. The funds are then
transferred to, and managed by, EPA’s Offices in Region 2
(for the Virgin Islands) and Region 9 (for American Samoa, Guam,
and the Northern Mariana Islands). The Regions either select and
make direct awards for drinking water system projects, or award
grants to the territorial governments who will make the project
selections and awards.
The allotments are calculated twice each federal fiscal year. The
initial calculation is made after the federal budget figures are
released for the upcoming fiscal year. These allotments are “tentative”
figures since they are based on the amount of funds that are requested
for the program, rather than the amount actually appropriated. They
provide the territories, and the two EPA Regions, with planning
targets for the coming fiscal year. When EPA actually receives an
appropriation for the fiscal year, the allotments are recalculated
if necessary (if the funds appropriated are different than what
was requested), and become final allotments. To view the most recent,
or the historical, allotments, check on the links below.
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