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Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program


**The application acceptance period for the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program is NOW OPEN and will be accepting applications until 1:00PM (CST) on August 31, 2026, or until funds are expended.**

(More information regarding this funding opportunity can be found further down this page)

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR THE EC-SDC GRANT PROGRAM

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The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant will utilize grant funds provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist small or disadvantaged communities in the State of Illinois where emerging contaminants have become a problem or appear likely to become a problem in the near term.  The Illinois EPA will use the awarded funds to make sub-awards to eligible water systems for projects that will further quantify these problems and help to remediate them.  A list of the public water systems that are targeted for actions under the objectives of the EC-SDC grant can be found in the table below.  The table shall be amended accordingly throughout the period of performance for the grant program and related tasks.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS LOAN NUMBERS ESTIMATED TOTAL PROJECT COST RESERVED EC LOAN PRINCIPAL FORGIVENESS POTENTIAL EC-SDC GRANT AWARD BASED ON CURRENT NUMBERS
Dalzell* L177000 $2,704,975 $2,704,975 -
Dalzell* L177001 $2,739,485 $2,739,485 -
Fox Lake L177140 $10,800,000 - $10,800,000
Fox Lake L177141 $12,600,000 - $12,600,000
Fox Lake L177173 $4,400,000 - $4,400,000
Fox Lake L176376 $750,000 - $750,000
Freeport L175643 $30,885,601.48 $16,822,071 $14,063,530.48
Mazon L177030 $8,499,000 $6,500,000 $1,999,000
Peoria Heights L176810 $8,500,000 $6,500,000 $2,000,000
Port Byron* L177121 $2,022,000 $2,022,000 -
Robinson Palestine Water Commission L176744 $27,000,000 $3,984,540 $15,000,000
Rockdale* L177318 $1,075,000 $1,075,000 -
Seaton* L176541 $1,500,000 $1,500,000 -
South Pekin L176760 $3,646,039 $3,327,679 $318,360
W2E, Incorporated L176742 $17,198,301 $6,500,000 $10,698,301

*These projects will need bids in hand showing need for further funds in order to apply. Communities must advertise for bids no later than June 1, 2026 to make the application deadline.

To be eligible for EC-SDC Grant Program funding, applicants must be Illinois Community Water Supplies which meet the eligibility requirements of the Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) as described in Section 662.130 of the Illinois Procedures for Issuing Loans from the PWSLP and have pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal. Applicants must have also submitted a complete Funding Nomination Form (FNF) to the Illinois EPA’s PWSLP, have received approval of a Project Plan meeting the requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 662.320, and be listed on the PWSLP FY 2025 or FY 2026 Emerging Contaminant Intended Funding Lists. Applicants will be limited to those having a service population below 10,000 or which qualify as a disadvantaged community as defined by 35 Ill. Adm. Code 662.110. Applicants must be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State pursuant to 44 Ill. Am. Code 7000.70 (f)(3) and 30 ILCS 708/25(6)(E).  Applicants who do not meet these criteria are NOT eligible for the Illinois EPA EC-SDC Grant Program Funding. 

The EC-SDC Grant Program will be utilizing $40,249,646 from the EPA EC-SDC Grant Program which congress appropriated from the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG). The Illinois EPA expects to award a total of $40,249,646 in grant awards with an award ceiling of $15,000,000 per applicant.  

Applications for the EC-SDC Grant Program will be accepted until 1:00 p.m. (CST) on August 31, 2026, or until funds are expended. Applications found to be complete and meet ALL eligibility criteria will be prioritized and funded on a first come first served basis.

Applicants must apply for the grant through the GATA Grantee Portal via the Amplifund Sign-In Button.  Paper applications or any other application version shall not be accepted.  To begin applying, click the botton below.  

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR THE EC-SDC GRANT PROGRAM

For grant application assistance, please reference this Powerpoint Presentation to help walk you through the Amplifund application process.

AMPLIFUND GRANT APPLICATION PRESENTATION

AMPLIFUND GRANT APPLICATION PRESENTATION SCRIPT

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Applicants must be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of the State pursuant to 44 Ill. Adm. Code  7000.70 (f)(3) and  30 ILCS 708/25(6)(E). Eligible proposals will come from Illinois Community Water Supplies which meet the eligibility requirements of the PWSLP as described in Section 662.130 of the Illinois Procedures for Issuing Loans from the PWSLP.

NOTE:  An entity MAY NOT apply for a grant until the entity has registered and pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/      

Registration and pre-qualification are required annually.  During GATA pre-qualification, verifications are performed including a check of the federal Debarred and Suspended list and status on the Illinois Stop Payment List.  An automated email notification from the GATA Portal to the entity alerts them of 'qualified' status or informs how to remediate a negative verification (e.g., inactive UEI, not in good standing with the Secretary of State).  A federal Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated.

ELIGIBLE FUNDING COSTS

Funding will be provided to assist with funding projects where at least 50% of the total project cost or level of effort is addressing emerging contaminants in drinking and/or source water. Project funding is limited to emerging contaminants identified by the EPA Contaminant Candidate Lists (CCL) 1 - 5.  Illinois EPA will focus this grant funding on projects which will address PFAS and Manganese.

Eligible costs under this grant include design engineering, construction engineering, construction costs, and the cost of reporting efforts related to any reporting requirements of the grant agreement. Only costs incurred starting January 1, 2025, are eligible under this grant.

INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES, TASKS, AND/OR COMPONENTS

Examples of ineligible activities, tasks, and components that shall not be funded through the EC-SDC Grant Program are provided below. The list is not all-inclusive:

  1. Projects whose primary purpose is not to address emerging contaminants.
  2. Remediation of contaminated groundwater or underlying aquifers.
  3. Operations and maintenance costs.
  4. Lead service line replacement.
  5. Replacement of premise plumbing.
  6. Construction or rehabilitation of dams.
  7. Activities needed primarily for fire protection.
  8. Activities needed primarily to serve future service population growth.
  9. Costs that are unallowable (e.g., lobbying and alcoholic beverages) under 2 CFR 200 Subpart E – Cost Principles.

AGENCY CONTACTS

Any questions regarding the EC-SDC, the EC-SDC NOFO, or the EC-SDC Grant Application can be directed to the following Illinois EPA's Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section Staff: