SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings today announced a second round of funding for projects addressing emerging contaminants in drinking and/or source water in small or disadvantaged communities. A total of $21,806,000 is available through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program to assist communities in completing construction projects to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) or Manganese in drinking and/or source water. A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this opportunity has been posted to the Illinois EPA website.
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The EC-SDC Grant program will fund projects for communities identified on the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program Emerging Contaminant Intended Funding List for FY2027. Emerging contaminants are identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Contaminant Candidate Lists (CCL) 1-5. PFAS and manganese will be the predominant contaminants addressed with this funding.
PFAS are a series of man-made chemicals that do not easily break down in the environment. Exposure to PFAS in drinking water has been linked to human health issues, including increased risk of certain cancers. Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in many items, including food. Drinking water with high levels of manganese can cause neurological and cognitive issues.
“Small and disadvantaged communities face a variety of challenges in maintaining a community water system, and limited resources is an added complication when they need to address these emerging contaminants,” said Director Jennings. “These funds will help ease the burden on these communities so they can continue to provide safe drinking water to their residents.”
Applicants that qualify will be awarded based on the funding needs of the project, with a limit of $6,650,000 per applicant. Eligible costs will include design engineering, construction engineering, construction costs, and the cost of reporting efforts, which are incurred starting July 1, 2026. Illinois EPA will utilize funding appropriated by Congress from the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG).
All required forms and information are available on the Illinois EPA’s EC-SDC webpage and in Amplifund. Applicants must have received approval of a Project Plan by March 31, 2026, and be listed on the PWSLP FY2027 EC-SDC Grant List or Project Priority List in the FY2027 Intended Use Plans. Applicants on the EC-SDC Grant List will be prioritized for grant funding until March 1, 2027, at which point, any funding remaining will be made available to projects on the Funds Exhausted List.
Applicants must be pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal. Applications must be submitted within the Amplifund program at the link found here: https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/2f511ce7-0b10-4689-b4cb-a60eee2a3daa
The Illinois EPA was created in 1970 as part of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, making it the longest-standing environmental protection agency in the United States. The mission of the Illinois EPA is to safeguard environmental quality, consistent with the social and economic needs of the State of Illinois, so as to protect health, welfare, property, and the quality of life. For more information, visit the Illinois EPA’s website at https://epa.illinois.gov/.
