Emerging Contaminants (EC)

The President signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) on November 15, 2021. The law’s investment in the water sector is nothing short of transformational. It includes $50 billion to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems—the single largest investment in clean water that the federal government has ever made. A significant portion of water infrastructure dollars will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs), which represent a partnership between the Agency, states, tribes, territories, and local communities. EPA is committed to maximizing the impact of these funds in addressing urgent water challenges facing communities.

A fundamental principle of the SRFs is the flexibility provided to states and borrowers to address a wide variety of local water quality and public health challenges. EPA continues to support and actively encourages flexibility in the implementation of SRF funding included in the BIL.

With supplemental funding to the CWSRF and DWSRF—and the creation of dedicated funding within the SRFs to tackle lead and emerging contaminants—states will have a great deal of flexibility in program administration.

For a project to be eligible under this appropriation, it first must be otherwise eligible under section 603(c) of the CWA including the construction of publicly owned treatment works, stormwater management, and nonpoint source pollution control.

These emerging contaminants include perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), biological contaminants and microorganisms, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and microplastics.