This agreement provides a capitalization grant for the recipient's drinking water state revolving fund (dwsrf) program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 awarded Arkansas Natural Resources Commission a Formula Grant in the amount of $15.67 million under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program (CFDA 66.468), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2029. This capitalization grant funds Arkansas's DWSRF program, which provides low-interest rate financing to eligible public water systems for planning, design, and construction of drinking water infrastructure improvement projects. The award supports Arkansas's implementation of its Intended Use Plan (IUP), prepared jointly by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Division and the Arkansas Department of Health's Engineering Section, in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The primary deliverables include financing for eligible public health-related drinking water projects and capacity-building activities. Additionally, ANRC utilizes set-aside funding for technical assistance to small water systems, operator certification programs, and source water protection initiatives. The loans issued through this revolving fund are structured as subawards to eligible public water systems rather than subgrants. The anticipated outcome is enhanced public health protection across Arkansas through improved drinking water infrastructure and increased technical, managerial, and financial capacity of public water systems throughout the state.

The award furthers the public health protection objectives of the safe drinking water act (sdwa). This is the state of arkansas's intended use plan (IUP), prepared jointly by the arkansas department of agriculture's natural resources division and the arkansas department of health's engineering section (adhe). The IUP identifies intended uses of the funds available to arkansas as authorized by the safe drinking water act (sdwa), as amended in 1996 (42 U.S.C. 300J-12 ET. SEQ.). 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:loans awarded as part of the drinking water state revolving fund program are considered subawards. However, these will be awarded as loans and not subgrants.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 of arkansas.