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Underserved Drinking Water System Grant Program

ADDRESSING REGULATED CONTAMINANTS IN OTHER-THAN-MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY (OTM) AND NONPROFIT NON-TRANSIENT NON-COMMUNITY (NN) PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

ATTENTION: Small public drinking water systems with active violations (e.g. MCLs, TTs) or active action level exceedances (e.g. lead ALEs) may receive funding to help the systems return to compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Please check the grant announcement for instructions on how to prepare and submit an application. Applications due by Dec. 3, 2024.

The federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016 (WIIN) provided funds to assist public water systems in small, underserved and disadvantaged communities in resolving violations and action level exceedances of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. The Wisconsin DNR received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set up the Underserved Drinking Water System Grant Program in Wisconsin. The DNR will issue approximately $1.3 million in grants to OTM and nonprofit NN public water systems serving small and underserved communities in Wisconsin.

What are OTMs?

Other-Than-Municipal Community (OTM) public water systems are not owned by a government or municipality and serve groups of 25 or more year-round residents. OTMs can include mobile home parks, apartment buildings and condominium associations that are not on city or municipal water.

What are nonprofit NNs?

Non-Transient Non-Community (NN) public water systems are nonresidential and regularly serve groups of at least 25 of the same people over six months of the year. NNs can include schools and daycare centers that are not on city or municipal water. A nonprofit NN is a government entity or an organization that is described under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue code, which does not lobby. NNs must be nonprofit in order to qualify.

Eligibility

Eligibility

Who can apply?

You must answer "yes" to each of the following three questions:

☑   Are you the owner or authorized representative of an OTM or nonprofit NN public water system?

☑   Does your public water system serve a community that has a population less than 10,000?

☑   Does your public water system have an active violation or active action level exceedance?

  • Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) violation
  • Treatment Technique (TT) violation 
  • Action Level Exceedance (ALE)

Note: For a full list of eligible violations and ALEs, please refer to Appendix A in the grant announcement.

Project Eligibility

Eligible expenses should be related to helping the public water system comply with the SDWA. Refer to the grant announcement for more detailed information. Examples of eligible activities include:

  1. Technical, managerial and financial assistance, including project planning, staff training and service line materials inventory
  2. Non-routine and non-compliance testing
  3. Source water, including development of new sources and intakes or wells
  4. Consolidation, including connecting to an existing public water system with safe water
  5. Transmission and distribution, including infrastructure improvements and service line replacement
  6. Storage, including new or replaced storage tanks
  7. Treatment, including new or upgraded facilities
  8. Other costs that the DNR deems reasonable and necessary for the completion of the eligible project and that are consistent with EPA guidance for the program

Note: For a full list, refer to Appendix B in the grant announcement.

Apply

The application period opens Sept. 3, 2024. Complete applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis and in the order in which they are received. Applications will be accepted continually until Dec. 3, 2024, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. View the grant announcement for details on how to apply. If you have any questions, please email DNRUnderservedGrants@wisconsin.gov.

STEP 1: Review the Eligibility tab and the grant announcement to verify your eligibility.

STEP 2: Develop your project. Please note that costs cannot be incurred before the grant start date on the grant agreement. The Next Steps for Applicants and the Frequently Asked Questions are helpful resources to get started. 

  • Learn about the applicable federal requirements, including those that contractors may need to follow. Refer to Appendix C in the grant announcement.
  • Get a Unique Entity ID (UEI) through SAM.gov if you do not have one. You can get a UEI without registering your entity and there is no cost.
  • Apply for applicable DNR water permits.
  • Work with you DNR field representative and consider reaching out to technical assistance providers or licensed well contractors to acquire estimates.
  • Create a topographic map and an aerial map of your project. Don’t forget to indicate the project area on each map. The DNR Surface Water Data Viewer is free and available to the public.

STEP 3: Prepare and submit your project for plan review. Plan review by the DNR engineering team is likely required for your project and is a separate process from the application. It is important to submit for plan review as soon as possible as it may take 90 days or longer to receive DNR approval.

STEP 4: Complete your application materials and send all required documents to: DNRUnderservedGrants@wisconsin.gov. The DNR will only review submittals with complete applications and attachments.

STEP 5: The DNR will notify you if you are approved for a grant award. Sign the grant agreement and return promptly to the DNR.

STEP 6: Start your project and begin incurring costs.

Application Materials

A complete application package includes all of the following documents:

Deadlines

Complete applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis and in the order in which they are received. Applications will be accepted continually until December 3, 2024, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.

Application period deadline: Dec. 3, 2024


Funding

Available Funding

Eligible projects may be funded up to $240,000 per public water system. The DNR received an assistance agreement from the EPA in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024, which extends from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. The cost-share requirement for this grant was waived for FFY 2024, meaning that grantees will not be responsible for providing a match to funding received.

There is approximately $1.3 million available in funding provided to the State of Wisconsin by the federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016 (WIIN).

Federal Award Details

Federal Award Identification Number: 00E03780

Federal Award Date: July 22, 2024

Assistance Listing#: 66.442 - Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Small and Underserved Communities

Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Total Amount of the Federal Award: $1,437,000.00

FY23 EPA General Terms & Conditions

UDWS Federal Requirements

Reimbursement

Grant award payments are made on a reimbursement basis. Grantees may submit partial reimbursement requests quarterly for actual and eligible expenses incurred within the grant performance period. All costs submitted must be documented and consistent with the grant agreement. The DNR will withhold 20% of grant award funds for final payment.

Progress reports are due to the DNR semiannually on January 1st and July 1st for the duration of the grant performance period. A final progress report is due upon project completion. Failure to submit reports in a timely manner may delay reimbursement request approval.

Reimbursement Materials

Additional documentation is required for final payment requests:

Resources

Licensed Well Contractors

Find individuals and companies licensed to do well drilling, pump work and heat exchange drilling. Lists are grouped by county.

Technical Assistance Providers

Wisconsin Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP)
The RCAP assists small communities throughout Wisconsin with utility, financial, asset management, and other needs. Wisconsin RCAP is part of Great Lakes RCAP, administered by Great Lakes Community Action Partnership.

Wisconsin Rural Water Association (WRWA)
The WRWA's mission is to educate the water and wastewater industry through training and technical assistance.

Grant Resources

Contacts

Contacts

 

For application, eligibility, technical and general programmatic questions, contact:

Briana Harter

Grant Coordinator

608-893-0709

 

For grant award, reimbursement and other financial administration questions, contact:

Jennifer Gihring

Grant Manager

608-264-6138