This agreement provides funding to montana department of environmental quality

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a $5,925,600 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (CFDA 66.468) formula grant to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This grant will capitalize DEQ's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program, which provides low-interest financing for planning, design, and construction of eligible drinking water infrastructure projects. Funds will be used for projects that improve drinking water treatment, water distribution, water sources, and finished water storage to protect public health. DEQ may also use a portion of the grant for technical assistance to small water systems, program administration, and other allowable uses. As a formula grant program, DEQ can provide sub-awards (loans) to communities across Montana to implement drinking water infrastructure improvements through the DWSRF program. The grant period runs from August 16, 2023 to August 15, 2028.

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 recipient's drinking water state revolving fund (DWSRF) to provide low interest financing 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.activities:the DWSRF will be used for loans and other authorized 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.subrecipient:this grant agreement capitalizes the state SRF program, allowing the state SRF program to make loans (SUBAWARDS) to communities for infrastructure improvements.outcomes:the benefits of this grant will be to capitalize the recipient's DWSRF. The fund can then be used to increase technical, financial and managerial capacity of public water systems, and provide assurance of a cleaner and safer potable water supply by funding improvements to multiple water infrastructure projects. These public health benefits will be statewide.