February 28, 1997
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) authorize
a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program to provide assistance
to public water systems to finance the cost of drinking water infrastructure.
The Amendments also establish a strong emphasis on preventing contamination
and enhancing water systems management by allowing States to use some
of the DWSRF funds for source water protection, capacity development,
and operator certification programs. The DWSRF has been authorized at
$9.6 billion from fiscal year 1994 through fiscal year 2003. A total
of $1.275 billion has been appropriated for fiscal year 1997. The president's
budget for fiscal year 1998 requests an additional $725 million for
DWSRF.
Final program guidelines have been issued so that capitalization grants
can be awarded to the States as soon as possible. EPA expects to begin
awarding State capitalization grants in early March, 1997.
- Click here to read
online the document titled "Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Program Guidelines".
