Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

 

To help rural residents who have experienced a significant decline in quantity or quality of water, due to an emergency event (such as drought, earthquake, hurricane or tornado), to obtain adequate quantities of water that meet the standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
10.763
Federal Agency/Office
Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Not applicable.
Authorization
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, Section 306A; Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, Title XXIII, Public Law 101-624.
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Eligible beneficiaries include (1) Public bodies or governmental entities such as municipalities, counties, districts, authorities, and other political subdivisions of a State, (2) nonprofit organizations such as associations, cooperatives, and private nonprofit corporations, (3) Native American Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations and other federally recognized Indian tribes. Projects must serve rural areas, excluding any city or town having a population greater than 10,000.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Users of the applicant systems, which are previously described as public bodies, private nonprofit corporations, and federally-recognized Indian tribes.
Credentials/Documentation
Evidence of legal and organizational capacity, and economic feasibility. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Rural Development (RD) State Director will administer the program on the local level. Applications include the criteria specified within 7 CFR 1778. This includes, but is not limited to, the requirement of applicants to file an application Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, with the appropriate Rural Development (RD) Office.
Award Procedure
Applications received will be reviewed and scored for funding priority by the RD State office. Applications must compete on a national basis for available funds.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Dependent upon funding and whether the application is considered complete. A determination on a complete application will be made within 15 federal working days. If complete, an eligibility and funding determination will be issued within 45 working days.
Appeals
An application determined ineligible may request a review of this decision with the National Appeals Division of USDA in accordance with USDA regulations at 7 CFR 11.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
The proposed projects designed to serve a rural area with a population of 10,000 or less that has a median household income of not more than 100 percent of the statewide nonmetropolitan household income and had a significant decline in quantity of water available from private individually owned wells will be given priority. Preference also will be given to proposed projects that will assist an established water system or remedy an acute shortage of quality water. The Rural Development State Director will rate applications on a point system and points received will be considered in selecting projects for funding.
How may assistance be used?
Grants may be used for existing systems which have experienced an emergency event (such as drought, earthquake, hurricane or tornado): (1) to alleviate a significant decline in the available quantity or quality of water by constructing new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and other sources of water; (2) To extend or repair distribution waterlines, repair breaks, and pay for operation and maintenance items that remedy an acute shortage or significant decline in the quality or quantity of potable water; and, (3) To assist rural water systems comply with the requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act or the Safe Drinking Water Act when noncompliance is related directly to a recent decline in quality of potable water. Grants made to alleviate a significant decline in quantity or quality of water available from the water supplies in rural areas that occurred within two years of filing an application with USDA cannot exceed $1,000,000. Grants for repairs, partial replacement, or significant maintenance on an established system cannot exceed $150,000.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Not applicable.
Auditing
Not applicable.
Records
The grantee shall maintain adequate records and accounts to assure that grant funds are used for authorized purposes.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Not applicable Advances and reimbursements will be disbursed over the term of the grant on request of the grantee.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
Consult your local telephone directory under United States Government, Department of Agriculture for Rural Development District Office number. If no listing, contact appropriate Rural Development State office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office
Assistant Administrator
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250 USA
charlesd.stephens@usda.gov
Phone: 202-619-8500
Website Address
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/all-programs/water-environmental-programs
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-1980-0-1-452
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 22$14,550,647.00; FY 23 est $15,000,000.00; FY 24 est $15,000,000.00; FY 21$14,099,305.00; FY 20$16,128,330.00; FY 19$17,650,000.00; FY 18$15,760,297.00; -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$32,815 to $1,000,000. Average: $440,929
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
7 CFR Part 1778.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 


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