News Releases from Region 06

Arkansas Natural Resource Commission receives $637,000 to improve drinking water

DALLAS (Oct. 28, 2020) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission $637,000 to improve drinking water and provide assistance to undeserved, small and disadvantaged communities in the state. The state will use the funds to carry out studies, projects, technical assistance or other activities needed for public water systems to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

“Ensuring all Americans have access to clean water is a top priority for this administration,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ken McQueen. “Through these grants, we are taking significant actions to modernize aging water infrastructure and reduce potential exposure to contaminants in drinking water in often underserved communities.”

Specifically, Arkansas will use the funds to conduct drinking water system consolidation studies. Drinking water systems, particularly those with limited resources, could face significant challenges in providing safe, reliable drinking water to their users at a reasonable cost. EPA encourages water systems to utilize partnerships to build capacity and enhance public health protection.

EPA awarded this project under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN). Under the new Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities states, tribes and territories are eligible to receive funding from EPA. EPA planned to award $42.8 million in grants to support underserved communities to bring public drinking water systems into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Funding can also be used for conducting household water quality testing, including testing for unregulated contaminants.

In 2018, the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds committed $9.6 billion in drinking water and clean water infrastructure loans and refinancing and disbursed $8.8 billion for drinking water and clean water infrastructure. Over the past year, EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has issued eight loans totaling over $2 billion in WIFIA credit assistance to help finance over $4 billion for water infrastructure projects.

For more information, visit:  https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/safewater/grants

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