CONCORD – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is receiving $7,640,000 in fiscal year 2023 from the bipartisan infrastructure law funding to address emerging contaminants in drinking water with a focus on projects addressing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The funding was allocated though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The DWSRF is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states achieve the health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
The grants awarded through this program can be used for improving drinking water treatment, repairing pipes, improving water sources, replacing or constructing storage tanks and other projects needed to protect the water supply.
U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen, (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced the grant in a news release along with Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH).
“When I fought to secure specific funding to address PFAS in the bipartisan infrastructure law, I had New Hampshire families in mind because no Granite Stater should ever worry that the water coming into their homes is not safe to drink,” said Senator Shaheen. “New Hampshire has long led the way to address PFAS to get these toxins out of our water and with today’s announcement, federal support to continue this work is heading to communities that need it the most.”
Shaheen and Hassan helped negotiate the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which provides a $550 billion investment in core infrastructure priorities – including roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, the electric grid, water systems and broadband. Shaheen co-led negotiations on water infrastructure provisions and secured robust funding — $10 billion – to address PFAS contamination nationwide.