State Public Water System Supervision

The objective of these grants is to provide financial assistance to eligible States and Tribes, those that have Primary Enforcement Responsibility for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program, for implementation and enforcement of the requi

The objective of these grants is to provide financial assistance to eligible States and Tribes (those that have Primary Enforcement Responsibility for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program, for implementation and enforcement of the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act that apply to public water systems. In cases where a State or a Tribe does not have a Primary Enforcement Responsibility program, EPA is authorized to use funds that would have otherwise been made available to the State or the Tribe to assist it in direct implementation of the PWSS program. The fundamental goal of the PWSS Program, and the grants, is to ensure that public water systems comply with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations listed in 40 CFR 141: https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-141.

Eligibility is limited to the governments of the fifty States; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the Northern Mariana Islands; the Virgin Islands; Guam; American Samoa; and federally recognized Tribes, that have either assumed primary enforcement responsibility for the PWSS Program or that want to develop a program that will allow them to seek delegation for a PWSS Program. EPA may also use funds allotted for a State or Tribal program, if the State or Tribe does not have, or is not developing, primary enforcement responsibility, or EPA may use all or part of the funds to support the PWSS Program in absence of an acceptable State program. Eligibility is also limited to a single agency within each State, Territory, or Tribe - an agency that has been designated by the jurisdiction's Governor or Chief Executive Officer. Primary Enforcement Responsibility for the Public Water System Supervision Program is provided for in 40 CFR 142 (https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-142?toc=1).

The beneficiaries are the agencies within the fifty States; the District of Columbia; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the Northern Mariana Islands; the Virgin Islands; Guam; American Samoa; and federally recognized Tribes, that have been designated by the jurisdiction's Governor or Chief Executive Officer as being responsible for the supervision of water supplies within the State, Territory, or Tribe.

The funds are to be used to develop and implement a Public Water System Supervision Program adequate to enforce the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and associated program regulations found in 40 CFR Parts 35, 141, 142, and 143. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA.

The term of the grant shall be determined at the time of grant award.

Intergovernmental review applies to this assistance listing when proposed Federal financial assistance involves planning for construction of drinking water infrastructure. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c).

(1) Adequacy of States and Tribes (those that have Primary Enforcement Responsibility for the PWSS Program) for the adoption and enforcement of drinking water regulations which are no less stringent than the national primary drinking regulations as listed in 40 CFR 141 and 40 CFR 142. (2) Designation of a State agency to receive the grant and be responsible for conducting the public water system supervision program. (3) Compliance with requirements of 2 CFR 200 and 1500 as applicable, and 40 CFR 35. Applications will be assessed consistent with the merit review regulations in 2 CFR 200.205.

The grant application and Program Plan are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office, and if approved, are signed by the Regional Administrator, who then awards the funds to the recipient.

Generally 60 days.

Disputes relating to matters other than competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable