SCDES recommends private well owners fill a bathtub or portable containers with water to put in their toilets for flushing in the case of a power outage. SCDES's Private Drinking Well Hotline is open to provide information: 1-888-761-5989.
The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program looks to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants as defined by an EPA Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) within the drinking water or source water of small or disadvantaged communities.
EC-SDC Grant Program funds are available to public water systems and non-profit organizations partnering with an eligible public water system serving one or more small or disadvantaged communities. This includes privately owned community water systems, publicly owned community water systems, and non-profit non-community water systems.
Funding through the EC-SDC Grant Program has no match or cost share requirement.
For specific information on eligibility, project types, or grant program requirements, please review the EC-SDC Implementation Guide for SC.
EC-SDC Grant Program funds are available to public water systems and non-profit organizations partnering with an eligible public water system serving one or more small or disadvantaged communities. This includes privately owned community water systems, publicly owned community water systems, and non-profit non-community water systems.
To qualify as a small or disadvantaged community, the public water system must meet the following criteria:
The median household income (MHI) is less than the state MHI;
Serves a population less than 10,000; and
The system cannot afford a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan; or
A sustainable system owner willing to provide drinking water service to homeowners with private wells with emerging contaminants that exceed health-based levels.
Examples of eligible project types include:
investigative study of a known or perceived PFAS or other emerging contaminant concern
feasibility study to determine potential courses of action to reduce or eliminate emerging contaminant concerns
planning and design activities for treatment processes to remove emerging contaminants
implementation of treatment processes focused on the reduction of PFAS or other emerging contaminants
water system interconnection or consolidation to reduce or eliminate emerging contaminant concentrations
connection of a neighborhood facing PFAS or other emerging contaminant issues within private wells to a public water system capable of providing cleaner drinking water
public education and outreach on PFAS or other emerging contaminants
source water protection activities to prevent emerging contaminants from entering the source waters of a public water system.
Additional project types may be eligible, as the above examples are illustrative and are not an exhaustive list.
