Lead Service Line Inventory Grant

The first phase of this BIL funding opportunity is to assist PWSs with meeting two important deadlines in the LCRR. Both the LSL inventory and replacement plans are due October 16, 2024. This is the first major compliance date for LCRR. Preparing these inventories and replacement plans are the first steps to identifying critical locations with potentially high drinking water lead exposure. These documents will also allow the PWSs to target communication with impacted residents, reassess their sampling locations, and begin planning to conduct full LSLRs.

Eligible grant entities will complete a grant application within SWIG’s Grants Management System (GMS). The grant application will establish the items needed for a complete application. All grant applications must be submitted by the announced deadline.

• Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Manual (Updated Nov. 28, 2023)
   

Eligible grant applicants include cities, counties, utility districts, and water authorities that own or operate a public water system. Grant applicants are responsible for grant oversight and monitoring of activities. Grant applicants are also responsible for submitting progress updates as requested by SWIG and managing the grant contract scopes of services.

This grant will assist communities in investigating and addressing compliant inventory replacement plans and in planning and designing for future full LSLR. The goal is to prepare communities for the LCRR compliance deadlines of October 16, 2024, and allow PWSs to have a plan to lead to a pipeline of projects for LSLR financed with SRF loans.

Division of Water Resources’ Compliance and Enforcement Program (DWR-CE) has established an LSLI Fillable Excel Data Sheet. When reviewing the eligible activities below, it is highly recommended to reference this datasheet. The format and information requested in this data sheet have the minimum data elements that must be submitted by October 16, 2024. USEPA has released additional guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory. This guidance should be used to determine the level of effort and resources needed to complete the LSLI. Since LSLI is the foundation of the LCRR, communities must build a comprehensive and accurate LSLI with this funding opportunity.

This grant opportunity can cover the costs associated with the planning, creation, investigation, and revisions to the LSLI. Additionally, applicants should refer to the eligibility guidance for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and BIL SRF Memorandum for other eligibility requirements. The requirements to conduct LSLI activities under this grant are further detailed in the grant manual.
 

SWIG has allocated $16,832,719 for this LSL grant. Grant award maximums are $250,000 per applicant. The designated funding allocations will be the dollar amount that can be used to reimburse eligible LSLI projects once the community receives a fully executed grant contract. Grant applicants must consider proposal budget maximums and match requirements when developing and submitting proposals. A proposal’s total project budget is the sum of the grant award plus their match. Match will be applied to the total project budget for each reimbursement request.

Match is required for all LSLI grants. Each recipient is anticipated to contribute a matching ranging between 15%-25% of the total project cost. Match amounts are based on the 2022 Ability To Pay Index (ATPI) for the project area served (city or county scale).
 

The anticipated timeline for this grant offering:

November 2023
Grant manual released

November 29, 2023
Open application solicitation

December 14, 2023
Grant Workshop

January 16, 2023
Close application solicitation

January-February 2024
Review, evaluate, and recommend awards

February-March 2024
All contracts executed
 

On December 14, 2023, TDEC hosted a virtual workshop for the LSLI grant program to discuss the grant application process for potential applicants.

• Workshop Presentation
• Workshop Recording