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

This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) to the state of nebraska to implement resources and priorities to help address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and emerging contaminant challenges; target resources to communities most in need of assistance to ensure that no community is left behind with unsafe, inadequate water; and advance the priorities of equity and environmental justice. Using this funding, nebraska department of environment and energy will implement projects which will work towards addressing PFAS and other emerging contaminant challenges; targeting resources to communities most in need of assistance to ensure that no community is left behind with unsafe, inadequate water; and advancing the priorities of equity and environmental justice, particularly by educating communities about this opportunity, and simplifying administrative procedures to reduce or eliminate barriers to access funds. Activities:the activities include projects and activities to address emerging contaminants 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:subawards will be awarded to small or disadvantaged communities to address emerging contaminants such as manganese or PFAS. 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 evaluation of communities found to have PFAS or manganese to meet the small or disadvantaged communities criteria, provided technical support to EC-SDC communities, developed specific construction plans and completed building services for selected EC-SDC communities, selected EC-SDC communities becoming part of a regional system, installed treatment options within selected EC-SDC communities, potential water systems where a new groundwater source was developed. The expected outcomes include enabled water systems which serve small or disadvantaged communities to effectively address emerging contaminants in drinking and/or source water; reduction in the number of pwss serving small or disadvantaged communities that face real or potential public health threat due to emerging contaminants; increased compliance for pwss in regulated and/or unregulated contaminants; and increased technical, managerial, and financial capacity of pwss serving small or disadvantaged communities and the population served. Direct beneficiaries of this program include all state residents and occupants, both permanent and temporary.