The purpose of this agreement is for a capitalization grant which provides funds for the recipient's clean water state revolving fund (cwsrf) program with a primary purpose to address emerging…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $2,773,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Formula Grant (CFDA 66.458) to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), operating as Hilo, to provide low-interest financing to subrecipients for projects addressing emerging contaminants in water systems. The primary objectives are to establish monitoring stations, develop hydrodynamic modeling, quantify toxin levels, implement satellite/drone-based monitoring, and create predictive models to track and forecast harmful algal blooms in the San José Lagoon. The grant will capitalize Hilo's CWSRF program to improve and protect water quality and public health in the San Juan area of Puerto Rico through infrastructure upgrades and other water quality initiatives over the 5-year grant period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2028.

The purpose of this agreement is for a capitalization grant which provides funds for the recipient's clean water state revolving fund (cwsrf) program with a primary purpose to address emerging contaminants. Emerging contaminants refer to substances and microorganisms, including manufactured or naturally occurring physical, chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials, which are known or anticipated in the environment, that may pose newly identified or RE-emerging risks to human health, aquatic life, or the environment. These substances, microorganisms or materials can include many different types of natural or manufactured chemicals and substances - such as those in some compounds of personal care products, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, and microplastics.activities:the activities are to provide low interest financing to numerous subrecipients for costs eligible under section 603(c) of the clean water act and the primary purpose must be to address emerging contaminants.subrecipient:the main objective is to establish the framework for the development of an integrated platform for monitoring and forecasting of harmful algal blooms (habs) at SAN joseacute; lagoon. Specific objectives are: 1) establish a network (ten) of monitoring stations across SAN joseacute; lagoon for documenting spatial-temporal variations in field parameters, water quality parameters and plankton (phyto and zooplankton) community structure. 2) develop a hydrodynamic model for determining nutrient loads (including internal loads) and cycling at the SAN joseacute; lagoon. 3) quantify levels of toxin production (i.e., microcystin-LR, anatoxin, saxitoxin, and cylindrospermopsin) during the onset, development, and senescence of habs. 4) establish a satellite or drone-operated (contingent upon FAA approval) optical sensor approach to monitor the spatial and temporal variability of alae bloom occurrence (determined through chlorophyll a measures) at SAN joseacute; lagoon. 5) develop a multiple regression model for same-day (i.e., nowcasting) mapping (with the aim of transitioning into early warning and forecasting in future phases) of habs occurrence at SAN joseacute; lagoon.outcomes:the benefits of this grant will be to capitalize the recipient's cwsrf with a primary focus on emerging contaminants. The expected outcomes are to establish and manage an effective comprehensive cwsrf program and to maintain a self-sustaining revolving fund to improve and protect water quality and public health for citizens through the SAN juan area in puerto rico.