Division of Drinking Water
Emerging Contaminants Funding
The State of Utah Drinking Water Board is administering a competitive program to fund eligible projects in the state to address identified Emerging Contaminants in drinking water.
For this program, emerging contaminants are unregulated substances that have appeared on an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Contaminant Candidate List. Examples include manganese, perchlorate, cyanotoxins (algal toxins), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Explore a list of contaminants that qualify for this funding
Current funding priorities
The Utah Drinking Water Board is currently prioritizing funding for projects that address:
- PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
- Manganese
- Perchlorate
- HABs/Cyanotoxins
What type of funding is available?
Funding is available on a rolling basis and may be awarded as either principal forgiveness or a grant, depending on project eligibility and available funding.
Principal forgiveness is a form of loan assistance that reduces or eliminates the amount of the loan principal that must be repaid. When a project receives 100% principal forgiveness, the borrower is not required to repay any of the awarded funding.
Project eligibility requirements
Applicant
Must be a community public water system or a non-transient non-community water system that is a local government or non-profit organization.
Timeline
Construction projects must start within 18 months of being awarded and be substantially completed within 3 years.
Project type
Projects must address emerging contaminants in drinking water. Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Feasibility studies and technical evaluations
- Planning and preliminary engineering
- Treatment design and construction
- Consolidation with another public water system
- Development or drilling of new water sources
How to apply
- Submit a prescreening application. It will go through an initial review to determine if the proposed project meets eligibility and the program’s technical criteria requirements.
- If your application is determined to be eligible based on the emerging contaminants criteria, you must then submit an application for SRF funding. A Drinking Water Project Manager will review the submittal and assist in preparing it for presentation to the Utah Drinking Water Board.
Application timing
- Applications will remain open throughout the year.
- To target a specific timeframe, we advise you begin applying for emerging contaminant funding no later than 2 months in advance of the Application Cut-Off Date for the next Drinking Water Board Meeting.