Funding Assistance for Territories under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
The Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants Program (DWIGP) is a component of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which was established by the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to provide financial assistance to help water systems achieve the health protection objectives of the SDWA. EPA is authorized to provide grants to improve drinking water infrastructure to Washington, D.C. and the U.S. territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). There is a similar program for the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the associated Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
Eligible Systems and Projects
Community water systems and non-profit, non-community water systems are eligible for project funding. Some examples of projects are:
- Rehabilitation or development of drinking water sources
- Installation or upgrade of treatment or storage facilities
- Installation or replacement of transmission and distribution pipes
Funds may also be used to conduct project feasibility studies, engineering design, and project administration.
Program fund allotment method
EPA may allot up to 1.5% of the amount available for the total DWSRF grants program to territories. Each territory receives at least 15% of this amount or $1,000,000, whichever is greater, as outlined in the February 2024 memorandum.
The funds are allotted by formula among the four territories based on:
- Population (5 percent)
- Geographical area (2.5 percent)
- The number of community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems (14 percent)
- The number of transient non-community water systems (3.5 percent)
- The “infrastructure needs” of the water systems in each territory as identified in the most current Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey (75 percent)
Review the annual allotments for territories.
How are the funds managed?
EPA Regions are responsible for awarding the funds, administering the grant, overseeing the proper use of funds, and assisting grantees within their regions. EPA Region 2 administers grants in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Region 3 administers grants in Washington, D.C. and Region 9 administers grants in American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
How are grants awarded?
EPA awards a grant to the territorial government and that government selects projects to fund.
Annual Reports and Memorandums
Annual Reports
- FY 2024 Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grants to U.S. Territories and D.C. (pdf)
- 2023 CW and DW Territories and DC Annual Report (pdf)
- 2021 CW and DW Territories and DC Annual Report (pdf)
- 2017 CW and DW Territories and DC Annual Report
Memorandums
- Changes to Allocation Methodology and Utilization of Unobligated Funds Memorandum (pdf)
- Implementation of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories Clean Water and Drinking Water Allocations of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (pdf)
- Memorandum Issued in November of 1998 Addressing the Creation of the Program (pdf)
- DWIGP Guidance Amendment 1 Issued in March 2000 Addressing the Use of Funds for Program Administration (pdf)