Illinois e-News Release

October 18, 2022

Contact: Kim Biggs

217-558-1536

SPRINGFIELD —Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced a new funding opportunity to assist communities in meeting the requirements outlined in the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification 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 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted to the Illinois EPA website.

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

“While it is imperative for communities to have a complete inventory identifying the types of water lines that exist in their drinking water supplies, we know that for many, especially our rural, low-income and disadvantaged communities, this is an added financial burden,” said Director Kim. “Through these grants, we will provide funding to many of these communities to help meet the inventory requirements outlined in the law.”

The LSLI Grant Program will utilize a portion of Illinois EPA Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) loan support funds generated from loan repayments. Illinois EPA expects to award a total of $2,000,000 and anticipates distributing this amount across forty (40) to one hundred (100) awards. Funding will be limited to a maximum of $50,000 per applicant. It is anticipated that some applicants will require supplemental funding in addition to the funds being offered through this grant program. Applicants may request supplemental funding in the form of a low-interest loan through the Illinois EPA’s PWSLP. 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.

The LSLI NOFO, and all required forms and information, can be found on the Illinois EPA website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/Pages/lead-service-line-information.aspx. Applications for the LSLI Grant Program will be accepted October 18, 2022, through 12:00 PM (CST) on December 2, 2022.

All applicants must pre-qualify through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act Grantee Portal.