Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant is sponsored by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). This grant aims to help private, public, and non-profit water systems serving small and/or disadvantaged communities in Tennessee improve their drinking water by carrying out projects and activities to address emerging contaminants (EC), such as PFAS.

Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program | US EPA Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal Grant Program The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Tribal grant program funds projects and activities that address emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in drinking water systems serving small Tribal communities.

Funding is allocated to EPA’s Regional Offices, which award funds to eligible recipients for emerging contaminants projects and activities.

EC-SDC Grant Program for States and Territories Other Tribal Drinking Water Grant Programs The EC-SDC Tribal grant program provides funds for projects and activities that have the primary purpose of addressing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and emerging contaminants in Tribal drinking water systems or source water.

Projects that address any contaminant listed in any of EPA’s Contaminant Candidate Lists are eligible for funding. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provided $5 billion in funds for the EC-SDC national program. Of these funds available under this program, 2% are designated for the EC-SDC Tribal Grant Program, which funds activities to address emerging contaminants in water systems serving federally recognized Tribes.

There is no cost-share/match applicable for the funding made available under this grant program. EPA allocates funding to the EPA Regional Offices based on a formula that takes into account the number and size of public water systems serving Tribes in each region. Regional Offices will award funds to eligible entities for projects and activities that address emerging contaminants.

Information about current Regional allotments of EC-SDC Tribal funds can be found in the following Allotment Memoranda: Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 Information about the allocation formula for this program can be found here: Regional Allocation Formulas for Non-Competitive Tribal Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants: An Amendment to the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants – Tribal Set-Aside Program Revised Guidelines (pdf) Established as a noncompetitive grant program, eligibility to apply for and receive funds from the Tribal allotment of this grant program is limited to public water systems serving Tribal communities that have a population of less than 10,000 individuals and that lack the capacity to incur sufficient debt to finance the project, pursuant to SDWA section 1459A(c).

Eligible public water systems include existing privately- and publicly owned community water systems and non-profit non-community water systems, including systems utilizing point of entry or residential central treatment. EPA also has the authority to award grants to the State of Alaska on behalf of public water systems serving Alaska Native Villages (ANVs).

Projects and activities eligible for funding under the EC-SDC Tribal grant program include activities in the following categories: Scoping and identification Testing or sampling for baseline assessment Treatment of Emerging Contaminant(s) (e.g. construction or upgrading of treatment facilities etc.) Source Water Activities Related to Emerging Contaminant(s) Storage (e.g. Construction or rehabilitation of water storage structures) Water system restructuring, consolidation, or creation Providing households access to drinking water services Public communication, engagement, and education Examples of eligible activities include (but are not limited to): Research and investigations to identify the presence, source, or extent of emerging contaminant contamination in water systems or source water, including non-routine monitoring and testing; Developing emerging contaminant action plans; Source water protection activities (e.g., developing source water protection plans, monitoring source waters for emerging contaminants, implementing watershed protection measures to mitigate EC contamination, etc.); Technical assistance to help public water systems plan, develop, administer, or perform any other eligible activity or use; Upgrading existing treatment facilities to add new treatment processes such as activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis Regional offices will select projects to fund under the EC-SDC Tribal Grant Program and work with Tribes in their region to help identify needs.

The implementation manual for the EC-SDC Tribal grant program serves as a guide for EPA’s Regional offices and external stakeholders as they implement this program. Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Tribal Grant Program Implementation Manual (pdf) (498. 82 KB, June 13, 2025, 816B25001) EPA Headquarters Program Contact: neusner.

gabriella@epa. gov EPA Regional Program Contacts: Tribal Drinking Water Regional Coordinators Safe Drinking Water on Tribal Lands Contact Us About Safe Drinking Water on Tribal Lands Contact Us About Safe Drinking Water on Tribal Lands to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Last updated on September 11, 2025