Illinois e-News Release

SPRINGFIELD —Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced a fourth funding opportunity of $6,570,000 to assist communities in meeting the requirements outlined in the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (LSLRN Act). The Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) Grant Program offers grants to local government units ranging from $20,000 - $50,000 to fund the creation of a complete lead service line inventory. The latest funding round is in addition to the 260 grants previously issued totaling $9,765,766.

The LSLRN Act (Public Act 102-0613) requires owners and operators of community water supplies (CWS) in Illinois to submit a complete water service line material inventory for the Illinois EPA’s approval no later than April 15, 2024. The inventory must report the composition of all service lines within the CWS’s distribution system.

“As the deadline approaches for community water supplies to submit complete material inventories, we know many supplies are still in need of financial assistance to meet this mandate,” said Director Kim. “We encourage any system that is still working towards identifying the composition of their public water supply infrastructure to seek funding through this program.”

The LSLI Grant program is funded using the Local Assistance and Other State Program Set-Aside from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Lead Service Line Replacement Grant. The latest LSLI Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and all required forms and information, can be found on the Illinois EPA website at: https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html. Applications for the LSLI Grant Program will be accepted from February 15, 2024 until funding has been expended. All applicants must pre-qualify through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Grantee Portal.

Grantees may request supplemental funding in the form of a low-interest loan through the Illinois EPA’s Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) in conjunction with funding to replace lead service lines. To inquire about funding through the PWSLP, please call 217-782-2027 and ask to speak with the Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section Project Manager on call.