Formula Grant 00A01222

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA) TO THE STATE OF MAINE TO IMPLEMENT RESOURCES AND PRIORITIES TO HELP ADDRESS PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) AND EMERGING CONTAMINANT CHALLENGES; TARGET RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES MOST IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE TO ENSURE THAT NO COMMUNITY IS LEFT BEHIND WITH UNSAFE, INADEQUATE WATER; AND ADVANCE THE PRIORITIES OF EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE STATE OF MAINE (WITH THE USE OF THIS AWARD FUNDING) WILL IMPLEMENT PROJECTS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: - INSTALLATION OF TREATMENT SYSTEMS TO REMOVE PFAS FROM DRINKING WATER AT PUBLIC WATER UTILITIES ACROSS THE STATE. THE TREATMENT SYSTEMS WILL USE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES TO ENSURE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE REMOVAL OF PFAS FROM THE WATER SUPPLY. - EXPANSION OF WATER MAINS IN PUBLIC WATER UTILITIES THAT ARE FREE OF PFAS CONTAMINATION. THIS EXPANSION WILL ENABLE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SERVICE CONNECTIONS TO PRIVATE HOUSEHOLDS THAT CURRENTLY RELY ON PFAS-CONTAMINATED PRIVATE WELLS FOR THEIR WATER SUPPLY. - CONSOLIDATE A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM THAT IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING WATER FROM A PFAS-CONTAMINATED SOURCE WITH A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT HAVE PFAS CONTAMINANTS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND RELIABLE SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER TO THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY WHILE REDUCING THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL PFAS CHEMICALS. - FUND THE STATE OF MAINE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LABORATORY (HETL) TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE FOR PFAS IN WATER. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES TO ADDRESS EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN SMALL OR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RESEARCH AND TESTING; PLANNING AND DESIGN TO ADDRESS EMERGING CONTAMINATES; TREATMENT OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS; SOURCE WATER ACTIVITIES RELATED TO EMERGING CONTAMINANTS; STORAGE; WATER SYSTEM RESTRUCTURING; PROVIDING HOUSEHOLDS ACCESS TO DRINKING WATER SERVICES; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; OUTREACH AND EDUCATION; AND WORKFORCE OR TRAINING SUPPORT TO PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS IN ADDRESSING EMERGING CONTAMINANTS. SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THIS AGREEMENT IS TO AN ELIGIBLE STATE OR TERRITORY TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER TO SMALL OR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. FUNDS ARE TO CARRY OUT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES NEEDED FOR PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS TO COMPLY WITH THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE HOUSEHOLD WATER QUALITY TESTING, ACTIVITIES FOR A STATE TO RESPOND TO A DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS, AND ACTIVITIES THAT BENEFIT THE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - TREATMENT INSTALLATION AT PUBLIC WATER UTILITIES; - POTENTIAL WATER MAIN EXTENSIONS TO PRIVATE HOMES IMPACTED WITH PFAS; - POTENTIAL PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM CONSOLIDATION; AND - MAINE STATE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LAB PFAS TESTING EQUIPMENT. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - REDUCTION IN PFAS LEVELS IN PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES SERVING SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN MAINE; - IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH REDUCED EXPOSURE TO PFAS IN THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY; - REDUCTION IN PFAS LEVELS IN PRIVATE DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES SERVING SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN MAINE; - IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH REDUCED EXPOSURE TO PFAS IN PRIVATE WELLS; - THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE AND RELIABLE DRINKING WATER THAT IS FREE FROM PFAS CONTAMINANTS; - THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL PFAS CHEMICALS WILL BE REDUCED FOR THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY; - SMALL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS, SCHOOLS, AND CHILDCARE FACILITIES WILL DEREGULATE AS PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS AND WATER WILL BE SUPPLIED BY LARGER WATER UTILITIES WITH MORE CAPACITY TO OVERSEE WATER QUALITY; AND - THE STATE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LABORATORY WILL BE ABLE TO PROCES