ASDWA Submits Letter to EPA Asking for Clarification on Use of DWSRF for PFAS and Other Unregulated Compounds

On January 23rd, ASDWA submitted a letter to Andrew Wheeler, EPA’s Acting Administrator, and David Ross, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, asking EPA to publish a memo clarifying that states can use the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to assess and address PFAS and other unregulated contaminants with adverse human health effects. The letter explains that many water systems are having to conduct monitoring and to install or upgrade treatment for these contaminants and that these systems need to consider all potential sources of funding.

ASDWA specifically asks that the EPA memo explain that states can:

  • Use the DWSRF to provide loans to water systems that need to install or upgrade treatment to remove PFAS and/or other unregulated contaminants.
  • Use the 15% “Local Assistance and Other State Programs” (Capacity Development) set-aside for special (investigative/non-routine) water system monitoring for these types of contaminants.

As part of the memo, ASDWA shares state drinking water program challenges and recommends that EPA provide guidance on how states can use health effects information, determine a health hazard, and use priority points for DWSRF loans to elevate projects to address PFAS or other unregulated contaminants. ASDWA also recommends that the EPA Regions work closely with their state drinking water programs to build awareness of the discretion allowed under the DWSRF program and adjust their DWSRF Intended Use Plans and Performance Partnership Agreements to include these provisions. Read the ASDWA letter here.