Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA OW OGWDW 15 02
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant opportunity titled "Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water" is a discretionary funding program designed to strengthen the ability of smaller water and wastewater providers, as well as certain community-based water users, to meet federal water quality and public health goals. The program is offered through cooperative agreements, meaning award recipients are expected to work in close coordination with EPA during the project period rather than operating fully independently. The overall intent is practical, on-the-ground capacity building: helping small systems and communities gain the knowledge, tools, and support they need to operate reliably, address compliance challenges, and protect water quality.
A central focus of the opportunity is support for small public water systems in achieving and maintaining compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This includes training and technical assistance that can help systems understand regulatory requirements, improve operational practices, strengthen managerial and financial capacity, and address common barriers that small systems face such as limited staffing, aging infrastructure, or insufficient technical expertise. The emphasis is not only on fixing acute problems, but also on helping systems build sustainable practices that prevent recurring violations and ensure consistent delivery of safe drinking water to customers.
The announcement also extends beyond drinking water to include water quality improvements under the Clean Water Act (CWA). In that portion, the EPA is seeking training and technical assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite or decentralized wastewater systems (such as septic systems), and private well owners. The goal is to improve water quality outcomes by promoting better wastewater treatment practices, improved maintenance and management of decentralized systems, and informed stewardship among private well owners. This reflects an understanding that water quality risks do not come only from centralized treatment plants; they can also come from small municipal facilities, poorly managed septic systems, or contaminated private wells, especially in rural or underserved areas.
The opportunity is intended to have national reach. Applicants are expected to make training and technical assistance broadly available across the country, serving both rural and urban communities, and ensuring that personnel of tribally owned and operated systems are included. This national scope suggests EPA is looking for applicants with the ability to deliver services across multiple regions, build partnerships, develop adaptable training materials, and provide technical help that can be used in different local contexts while still aligning with federal requirements and best practices.
This funding opportunity is aligned with EPA strategic objectives from its Fiscal Year 2014 to 2018 Strategic Plan, specifically Goal 2, "Protecting America's Waters." It directly supports Objective 2.1, "Protect Human Health," and Objective 2.2, "Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems." In practical terms, that alignment signals that projects funded under this opportunity should clearly connect their training and technical assistance work to measurable public health protection and water resource outcomes, such as reduced compliance violations, improved treatment performance, or better prevention of contamination affecting rivers, lakes, groundwater, and drinking water sources.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number EPA OW OGWDW 15 02, with awards issued as cooperative agreements under environmental assistance CFDA numbers 66.424 and 66.436. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $8,000,000 and anticipated making 11 awards. The original closing date for applications was October 26, 2015, and the posting date was September 11, 2015. Eligibility is summarized in the listing as "Others," with additional eligibility rules and requirements referenced as being available in Section III of the full announcement, meaning prospective applicants needed to consult that section to confirm whether their organization type and proposed activities qualified.
Overall, the grant is best understood as an EPA investment in education, hands-on technical support, and system capacity building for the parts of the water sector that often have the fewest resources but carry major responsibilities for protecting public health and local water quality. By funding organizations that can deliver training and targeted assistance at scale, EPA aims to reduce risks, improve compliance, and support safer drinking water and cleaner waterways nationwide, including in tribal communities and places served by small or decentralized systems.Apply for EPA OW OGWDW 15 02
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.424, 66.436.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-11.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2015-10-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $8,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this EPA grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water."
What is the main purpose of this funding program?
The program is a discretionary EPA funding opportunity intended to strengthen the ability of smaller water and wastewater providers, along with certain community-based water users, to meet federal water quality and public health goals through practical training and technical assistance.
What kind of support does EPA want applicants to provide?
EPA is seeking training and technical assistance that builds real-world capacity, including helping small systems and communities gain knowledge, tools, and on-the-ground support to operate reliably, address compliance challenges, and protect water quality.
What funding mechanism will EPA use for awards?
Awards are issued as cooperative agreements, which means recipients are expected to coordinate closely with EPA during the project period rather than operating fully independently.
How is this opportunity connected to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?
A central focus is helping small public water systems achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) through training and technical assistance.
What types of SDWA-related challenges can training and technical assistance address?
Based on the description, supported efforts may include helping systems understand regulatory requirements, improve operational practices, strengthen managerial and financial capacity, and overcome common small-system barriers such as limited staffing, aging infrastructure, or insufficient technical expertise.
Is the program only meant to fix immediate compliance problems?
No. The emphasis includes both addressing acute problems and building sustainable practices that prevent recurring violations and help ensure consistent delivery of safe drinking water over time.
Does this opportunity also cover wastewater and broader water quality work under the Clean Water Act (CWA)?
Yes. The announcement includes water quality improvements under the Clean Water Act (CWA), including training and technical assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems and other community water users described in the opportunity.
Who can benefit from the CWA-related portion of the program?
The CWA-related portion includes assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite or decentralized wastewater systems (such as septic systems), and private well owners.
Why does EPA include decentralized wastewater systems and private wells in this opportunity?
The opportunity reflects EPA's view that water quality risks can come not only from centralized treatment plants, but also from small municipal facilities, poorly managed septic systems, or contaminated private wells, particularly in rural or underserved areas.
Is this a local or national program?
The opportunity is intended to have national reach. Applicants are expected to make training and technical assistance broadly available across the country.
Are both rural and urban communities included in the intended service area?
Yes. The description indicates services should be available to both rural and urban communities.
Does EPA expect tribal water system personnel to be included?
Yes. The opportunity specifies that personnel of tribally owned and operated systems should be included.
What does it mean that the program is aligned with EPA's strategic objectives?
The funding opportunity is aligned with EPA's Fiscal Year 2014 to 2018 Strategic Plan under Goal 2, "Protecting America's Waters," supporting Objective 2.1 "Protect Human Health" and Objective 2.2 "Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems." In practice, this signals that projects should connect training and technical assistance to public health protection and water resource outcomes.
What outcomes does EPA seem to be looking for from funded projects?
The description points to outcomes such as reduced compliance violations, improved treatment performance, and better prevention of contamination affecting rivers, lakes, groundwater, and drinking water sources.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number is EPA OW OGWDW 15 02.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity lists environmental assistance CFDA numbers 66.424 and 66.436.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) stated in the listing?
The award ceiling listed is $8,000,000.
How many awards did EPA anticipate making?
The listing anticipated 11 awards.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date listed is September 11, 2015.
What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date for applications was October 26, 2015.
Who is eligible to apply based on the listing?
Eligibility is summarized as "Others" in the listing. The description notes that additional eligibility rules and requirements were referenced as being available in Section III of the full announcement, and applicants were expected to consult that section to confirm eligibility.
Where are the detailed eligibility rules described?
The listing indicates the detailed eligibility rules and requirements are available in Section III of the full announcement.
What types of organizations does EPA appear to be seeking for this work?
Based on the national scope and emphasis on broad delivery of training and technical assistance, the opportunity suggests EPA is looking for applicants able to provide services at scale, build partnerships, develop adaptable training materials, and deliver technical help across different regions while aligning with federal requirements and best practices.
What is the overall takeaway on what EPA is funding here?
This opportunity is best understood as an EPA investment in education, hands-on technical support, and capacity building for smaller and often resource-limited parts of the water sector, with the goal of improving compliance, protecting public health, and improving water quality nationwide, including tribal communities and areas served by small or decentralized systems.
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