This action approves the amount of $171,295,000.00 to florida's drinking water state revolving fund (DWSRF)

This is a $171,295,000 Formula Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program (CFDA 66.468). The grant provides funding to capitalize Florida's DWSRF program, which will be used to provide financial assistance to public water systems for eligible drinking water infrastructure projects. This includes improving water treatment, distribution, source supply, storage, and other initiatives needed to protect public health. The grant also supports 'set-asides' for technical assistance, program administration, and other allowable uses. The funding will help rebuild more resilient water systems following damage from Hurricanes Fiona and Ian, delivering statewide public health benefits by enhancing the technical, financial, and managerial capacity of public water systems. Several sub-awards will provide direct financial assistance for construction, repair, and resiliency projects for water facilities impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Section 1452 of the safe drinking water act (SDWA) authorizes the state to utilize funds to further the health protection objectives of SDWA. This agreement will provide funds to capitalize the florida's drinking water state revolving fund (DWSRF) as principal forgiveness loans, negative interest loans, or grants 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. Systems damaged by 2022 hurricanes fiona and IAN are eligible uses of these funds.activities:the DWSRF will be used for financial assistance to public water systems for eligible projects, including improving drinking water treatment, 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. Projects and set-aside funds must help to reduce a system's flood or fire damage risk and vulnerability and/or to enhance resiliency to rapid hydrologic change or natural disasters.subrecipient:subawards will provide financial assistance for the construction, repair, and resiliency of drinking water facilities impacted by hurricane IAN in accordance with the safe drinking water act.outcomes:the benefits of this grant will be to capitalize florida's DWSRF. The funds can then be used to increase technical, financial, and managerial capacity of public water systems, and provide assurance of a cleaner, safer, and more resilient potable water supply by funding improvements to multiple water infrastructure projects. The funds will assist in rebuilding more resilient water systems following the damage from 2022 hurricanes fiona and IAN. These public health benefits will be statewide.