EPA Posts Competitive Award Process for Small System Training and Technical Assistance

EPA has posted two “Request for Applications” (RFAs) that make $15 million available on a competitive basis to provide training and technical assistance to small water and wastewater systems, onsite and decentralized wastewater systems, and private well owners. These funds were appropriated as part of the Agency’s FY 12 budget.

Application process and related information is available on EPA’s grants website. Please go to: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/sdwa/smallsystemsrfa.cfm. EPA expects to award the cooperative agreements in the summer of 2012. The application deadline is April 9, 2012. Eligible applicants are defined as nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private universities and colleges, and public institutions of higher education. Eligible recipients of the training and technical assistance are small public water systems, small publicly-owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater systems, and owners of private wells.

Of the $15 million, EPA expects to make up to $500,000 available for training and technical assistance to tribally-owned and operated public water systems that are geographically located within EPA Region 6, 8 and 9 states where EPA has primacy responsibilities under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Questions about the public water system portion of this process should be directed to Steve Hogye at smallsystemRFA@epa.gov. Nicole Schindler is the point of contact for Tribal RFA questions at tribalsystemRFA@epa.gov. Questions must be received by March 30, 2012. Responses will be posted on EPA’s website at http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/sdwa/smallsystemsrfa.cfm.