This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the state of louisiana to implement resources and priorities to help address per- and polyfluoroalkyl…

EPA Region 6 awarded the Louisiana Division of Administration $25.225 million on October 1, 2025, under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Small and Underserved Communities Emerging Contaminants Grant Program (CFDA 66.442) to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and emerging contaminants in Louisiana's drinking water systems.

Louisiana will implement projects including sampling, planning and design, treatment of emerging contaminants, source water activities related to emerging contaminants and saltwater intrusion, water system restructuring, household access to drinking water services, technical assistance, and training support to public water systems. Activities target emerging contaminant mitigation in small or disadvantaged communities and include research and testing, storage, outreach and education, and workforce support. The award supports compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and carries an ultimate completion date of September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Louisiana.

Louisiana has issued sub-awards to municipalities to mitigate emerging contaminants in water systems. Plaquemines Parish Government received funding on October 13, 2025, to mitigate saltwater intrusion throughout the parish. On March 31, 2026, sub-awards went to Friendship Water System, Inc., the Village of Plaucheville, Inc., the Town of Evergreen, and Lincoln Parish Police Jury, each to mitigate manganese contamination throughout their respective systems or districts.

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the state of louisiana to implement resources and priorities to help address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and emerging contaminant challenges. Louisiana will implement projects including but not limited to sampling, planning and design to address emerging contaminants (ECS), treatment of ECS, source water activities related to ECS and salt water intrusion, water system restructuring, providing households access to drinking water services, technical assistance, and training support to public water systems in addressing ECS with the use of this award funding. Activities:the activities include projects and activities to address emerging contaminants (ECS) 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:grants will be made to subrecipients to mitigate EC in systems. Grants issues to municipalities with this grant are considered subawards.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 determining what public water systems (pwss) meet disadvantaged criteria; procure samples of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and emerging contaminant (EC) for pwss; contact systems that meet criteria for permission to sample for PFAS/EC; host quarterly meetings with louisiana office of community development - local government assistance (OCD-LGA); begin sampling once approved to sample in areas currently known to have PFAS/EC; track and report sampling locations and communities with detections; create educational outreach materials for PWS's to provide to customers; track public outreach and engagement resources created and meetings/workshops conducted; procure engineering services for planning and design; create a louisiana state strategic planning for long term sustainability of small or disadvantaged community (SDC) water systems. The expected outcomes include establishing a baseline of PFAS/EC in SDC in louisiana; awareness of impacts of PFAS/EC to human health and treatment options; improved public awareness of threats posed by emerging and regulated contaminants; education of communities on remediation and assistance options; increased in community engagement and trust among small and disadvantaged communities; establish a technical assistance support for implementation of activities in following years of grant. The intended beneficiaries include small or disadvantaged communities in the state of louisiana. Direct beneficiaries of this program include all state residents and occupants, both permanent and temporary.