DPH to Hold Public Workshop On Solicitation of Water Infrastructure Improvement Projects

DOVER – The Division of Public Health’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) will host a public workshop Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, to present and discuss the Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grant, authorized under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. The workshop begins at 9:00 a.m., and will be held at the Edgehill Shopping Center, 43 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19904.

The grant program’s objective is to assist public water systems in underserved, small and disadvantaged communities in meeting Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. Workshop participants will learn about the funding opportunity, state and federal requirements, eligible projects, and the competitive grant application process.

Eligible activities for assistance include:
• Investments necessary for a public water system in a small, disadvantaged, or underserved community to return to compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act
• Efforts that benefit a disadvantaged community on a per household basis
• Programs to provide household water quality testing, including testing for unregulated contaminants
• Activities necessary and appropriate for a state to respond to a contaminant

Small or disadvantaged communities are defined as communities with populations of less than 10,000 individuals, or communities that do not have the capacity to incur debt sufficient to finance a project or eligible activity and may become disadvantaged as a result of carrying out an eligible activity.

Grant applications of up to $609,000 will be considered. Projects will be solicited starting February 20, 2020, and are due by March 31, 2020.

For more information about the workshop or the grant, contact Heather Warren, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Administrator, at 302-744-4739, or visit https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/wiin-grant-assistance-small-and-disadvantaged-communities-drinking-water-grant.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.


FY2019 Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund public workshop set for Dec. 12 in Dover by DNREC Environmental Finance

DOVER – Environmental Finance within DNREC’s Office of the Secretary and the Division of Public Health will host a State Revolving Loan Fund public workshop Wednesday, Dec. 12 in preparation for the development of the 2019 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving (DWSRF) Project Priority Lists. The workshop begins at 10 a.m. in the Kent County Administrative Complex, Conference Room 220, 555 S. Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901.

The workshop will inform and provide municipal government representatives, privately-owned businesses, wastewater and drinking water utilities, consultant engineers, and other interested parties with detailed overviews of the CWSRF and DWSRF programs. The combined-program workshop will provide attendees with an accurate and efficient source of information for requesting financial assistance for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project needs.

Notices-of-Intent (NOI) for wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, and related infrastructure projects will be solicited starting Wednesday, Dec. 12 and are due by Friday, Jan. 11 to prepare the 2019 CWSRF and DWSRF Project Priority Lists (PPLs). Projects must be listed on the CWSRF and DWSRF PPL, respectively, to be considered for funding. Workshop attendance is required by applicants and/or their consulting engineering firms who plan to apply for CWSRF and DWSRF assistance.

Workshop participants will learn about the following CWSRF and DWSRF program changes and infrastructure financing tools:
• One-stop loan application process for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure project assistance
• Land conservation and water quality improvement loan sponsorship programs
• Source water protection loans for drinking water supplies
• Wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater facilities matching planning grants
• Community water quality improvement grants
• Asset management plan development incentives
• Project planning advances
• Expanded eligibilities for privately-owned businesses

In addition, detailed information will be presented at the workshop about how and when to submit projects for funding consideration, project ranking criteria, project construction requirements, and how to apply for infrastructure planning grants.
To reserve a place at the workshop, please contact Laura Rafferty, DNREC Environmental Finance, by emailing Laura.Rafferty@delaware.gov or phone: 302-739-9941. Applicants who are ready to proceed with their notices of intent and require assistance prior to the workshop may contact Greg Pope of EF by phone at 302-739-9941, or by emailing Greg.Pope@delaware.gov.

Vol. 48, No. 329

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