The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) tribal grant program provides funds for projects and activities that have the primary purpose of addressing emerging contaminants in tribal drinking water systems or source water, with a focus on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Projects that address any contaminant listed in any of EPA’s Contaminant Candidate Lists are eligible for funding.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $5 billion in funds for the EC-SDC national program. Of these funds, $100 million have been designated for the EC-SDC Tribal Grant Program, which funds activities to address emerging contaminants in water systems serving federally recognized tribes. There is no cost-share/match applicable for the funding made available under this grant program.

Eligible Recipients

Established as a noncompetitive grant program, eligibility to apply for and receive funds from the tribal allotment of this grant program is limited to public water systems serving tribal communities that have a population of less than 10,000 individuals and that lack the capacity to incur sufficient debt to finance the project, pursuant to SDWA section 1459A(c)(1)(C)(2)(B).

Eligible public water systems include existing privately and publicly owned community water systems and non-profit non-community water systems, including systems utilizing point of entry or residential central treatment. EPA also has the authority to award grants to the State of Alaska on behalf of public water systems serving Alaska Native Villages (ANVs).

Eligible Projects

Projects and activities eligible for funding under the EC-SDC tribal grant program include activities in the following categories:

• Scoping and identification
• Testing or sampling for baseline assessment
• Research and testing
• Planning and design
• Treatment of Emerging Contaminant(s) (e.g., construction or upgrading of treatment facilities etc.)
• Source Water Activities Related to Emerging Contaminant(s)
• Storage (e.g., Construction or rehabilitation of water storage structures)
• Water system restructuring, consolidation, or creation
• Providing households access to drinking water services
• Technical assistance
• Public communication, engagement, and education