Section 1452 of the safe drinking water act (sdwa) authorizes the state to utilize funds to further the health protection objectives of sdwa

The Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 awarded the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority $30.2 million under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program (CFDA #66.468) on June 1, 2023 to provide capitalization through June 30, 2026. The bulk of funding in the amount of $26.9 million will be provided to the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority in loans to public water systems for eligible drinking water infrastructure projects. This includes improving treatment, repairing distribution pipes, upgrading water sources, replacing or building finished water storage, and other needs to protect public health. An additional $549,300 will be a set-aside for the authority to provide technical assistance to small water systems. The capitalization of Minnesota's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund through this award will increase water system capacity and help ensure safer drinking water by financing multiple infrastructure improvements across the state.

This agreement will provide funds, authorized by the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58), to capitalize the recipient's drinking water state revolving fund (dwsrf) to provide low interest financing for costs associated with the planning, design and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects and activities to protect human health. As part of this agreement, the recipient ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, which are designed to protect public health.activities:the bulk of the SRF will be used for loans and other authorized assistance to public water systems for eligible projects, including improving drinking water treatment, fixing leaky or old pipes (water distribution), improving source of water supply, replacing or constructing finished water storage tanks, and other infrastructure projects needed to protect public health. The recipient may also use some of the funding for specific 'set-asides'; to provide technical assistance to small systems, program administration, state program management and other allowable uses.subrecipient:drinking water state revolving fund program is exempt from 2 CFR 200.332 subrecipient management requirements for subawards as provided in 2 CFR 1500. Program provides assistance in the form of loans. Minnesota public facilities will fund $26,915,700 toward loans in their intended use plan (site project code DA) and $549,300 for the small systems technical assistance set-aside (site project code DE).outcomes:the benefits of this grant will be to capitalize the recipient's dwsrf. The fund can then be used to increase technical, financial and managerial capacity of public water systems, and provide assurance of a cleaner and safer potable water supply by funding improvements to multiple water infrastructure projects. These public health benefits will be statewide.