Training and Technical Assistance for Small Systems Funding

On this page: Background Current Funding Cycle Program Implementation

Background

The Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small PWSs to Provide Safe Drinking Water grant program, hereby referred to as the “grant program”, aids small public water systems (PWSs) in operating and maintaining their systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The grant program serves two main functions for small PWSs:

• To build their financial and managerial capacity to provide safe drinking water over the long term.
• To improve water quality and sustainable operations.

The grant program also assists small publicly owned wastewater systems in promoting sustainable and effective management of wastewater systems and improving system performance. Lastly, the grant program assists private well owners by providing the information they need to protect their drinking water supply and improve water quality. These services are vital for the drinking water systems, wastewater systems, and private well owners who the grant program serves.

Across the nation, state and local officials are challenged with effectively communicating information and overseeing training for small system owners and operators with a wide range of expertise, skills, and preferences for modes of communication. Through the grant program, EPA provides information, training and technical assistance to officials and small system personnel so that they may deliver high quality drinking water to their customers.

The press release is available here.

Current Funding Cycle

The fiscal year 2024 grant cycle is closed. Applications were accepted through November 25, 2024. The program continues to focus on training and technical assistance  provisions to water and wastewater system staff and private well owners. These provisions support operational and managerial practices that continue efforts to protect public health and promote sustainability in small communities.

Click here for previous application information. 

Program Implementation

Based on annual appropriations the agency competes awards to provide training and technical assistance to small systems. Historically this has been competed to a range of applicants including nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private universities and colleges, and public institutions of higher education.

The funding helps provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems, small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater systems, and private drinking water well owners. Training and technical assistance supports small public water systems in operating and maintaining their systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); building their financial and managerial capacity to provide safe drinking water over the long term; ensuring sustainable operations; and improving water quality.

Visit here for historical funding information. 

For additional information contact: SmallSystemsRFA@epa.gov

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