This agreement provides a capitalization grant, funded by the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58), for the recipient's drinking water state revolving fund (DWSRF) program

This $57,308,400 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (CFDA 66.468) program provides funding to the State of Maryland to capitalize its Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The grant will enable the state to offer low-interest financing to eligible public water systems for planning, designing, and constructing drinking water infrastructure projects that enhance public health protection in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Key activities include $485,464 in sub-awards to the Maryland Rural Water Association for drinking water sampling training, $712,450 to 15 Maryland counties for on-site technical assistance to small water systems, $57,000 to the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin for water quality management in the Potomac River basin, and various other sub-awards to state agencies for source water protection, operator certification, and capacity building initiatives. The overall goal is to improve drinking water quality and system resilience across the state through this multi-year grant program.

The award furthers the public health protection objectives of the safe drinking water act (SDWA).activities:the recipient of these funds will provide low interest rate financing to eligible public water systems for the costs associated with the planning, design, and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects. The recipient may also use some of the funding for specific set-asides, including but not limited to providing technical assistance to small systems, for operator certification activities, and source water protection activities. Subrecipient:set-aside subawards include: $485,464 to maryland rural water association (MRWA); $712,450 to 15 counties in maryland: allegany, baltimore, calvert, caroline, carroll, dorchester, frederick, garrett, howard, kent, queen annes, somerset, ST. Mary's, talbot, and worcester; $57,000 to the interstate commission on the potomac river basin (ICPRB); $815,000 to maryland department of health (MDH); $398,000 to maryland center for environmental training (MCET); $536,500 to maryland geological survey (MGS); $620,000 to U.S. Geological survey (USGS); and $100,000 to baltimore city department of public works or baltimore metropolitan council.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include financing, planning, design, and construction of eligible public health-related projects. Deliverables will also be used to increase the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of public water systems. The expected outcome is public health protection. The intended beneficiaries include citizens throughout the state.