News Releases from Region 05

EPA awards $724,500 to state of Ohio to protect public drinking water systems

COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 23, 2019) − The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $724,500 to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to carry out its public water supply supervision program. The funding will help protect 4,467 public water systems in Ohio serving nearly 11 million people daily. This is the second installment of an award totaling $1.2 million to Ohio in 2019.

“EPA is committed to partnering with state agencies on investments in clean water,” said Regional Administrator Cathy Stepp. “This funding will help the state of Ohio ensure its communities have access to safe and clean drinking water.”

This funding will allow Ohio EPA to conduct regular sanitary surveys of public water systems, provide technical assistance to public water system managers and operators, ensure public water systems regularly inform their consumers about their systems' water quality, and administer an enforcement program that ensures public water systems comply with all applicable requirements.

Background

Since 1976, EPA has received an annual congressional appropriation under the Safe Drinking Water Act to assist states, territories, and tribes in carrying out their public water system supervision programs. 

All entities that have been delegated primary enforcement responsibility by EPA for the Public Water System Supervision grant program are eligible to receive grant funding. 

More information on drinking water requirements for states and public water systems, visit https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/dwreginfo.