Tribal Water Infrastructure Gets Largest Investment Ever from EPA

EPA announced its largest investment of annual water infrastructure funding ever for Tribes and Alaska Native Villages through President’s Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

At an event today with the Lummi Nation in Bellingham, Washington, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water, Radhika Fox, announced over $278 million in funding to improve access to safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services for American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. Thanks to the boost from President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda, this year, EPA is providing its largest investment ever of annual water infrastructure funding to Tribes.

[blockquote align=”left” author=”Radhika Fox, Assistant EPA Administrator for Water” style=”font-size: 30px”]For too long, Tribes have struggled without access to basic water services—impacting their health and economic well-being. Today’s funding announcement is a generational investment that moves us closer to achieving a future where all Tribes have access to safe drinking water and wastewater services.[/blockquote]

The funding will help Tribes and Alaska Native Villages make significant investments in water infrastructure improvements. The goal of the improvements is to advance public health protections.

The funding will help by enhancing compliance with existing water regulations. Additionally, it will help identify and replacie lead service lines, and address harmful emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater. These contaminants include per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). These improvements will be accomplished through the following programs:

Clean Water Indian Set-Aside

• $64 million in FY 2023 Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds. The CWISA program provides funding for wastewater infrastructure to American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. The CWISA program was established under the 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act (CWA).  Tribes use funds for planning, design, and construction of wastewater collection and treatment systems. EPA administers the CWISA program with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction program at IHS works with EPA on this program.

Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants

• $130.3 million in FY 2023 Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriation funds. The Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants Tribal Set-Aside (DWIG-TSA) is a longstanding program. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund funds this program. The Fund also provides direct EPA support for tribal water infrastructure improvements.

Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Tribal Grant Program

• $38.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds. This new program will address emerging contaminants, including PFAS, in drinking water systems serving Tribal populations. This announcement also includes an implementation manual that focuses on assisting small tribal public water systems in identifying and/or remediating challenges related to PFAS and other emerging contaminants.

Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities Tribal Grant Program

• $5.6 million in combined FY 2022 and FY 2023 Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Tribal Grant Program. This tribal grant program helps public water systems in underserved and small tribal communities. The goal is to help them gain access to drinking water services. Another goal is to help comply with Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.

Alaska Rural and Native Villages Grant Program

• $39.6 million in FY 2023 Alaska Rural and Native Villages (ANV) Grant Program through annual appropriation funds. This funding will support Alaska Native Villages construct high priority drinking water and wastewater facilities in rural Alaska. It will also support training, technical assistance, and educational programs on sustainable water systems.

“This funding opportunity isn’t just a great opportunity for our Nation, but a great opportunity for all Tribal Nations that are looking for assistance with tribal water systems,” said Lummi Vice Chairman Terrence Adams. “Tribal people have an important relationship with the water, and we believe that it is our inherent responsibility to take care of the water as it cares for us.”

LEARN MORE

To learn more about how the EPA works with tribes to protect water, visit the EPA’s Tribal Water website.