Tackling Emerging Contaminants (TEC)

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What is the TEC initiative
TEC services
Which water systems are eligible?
Request help today
Additional resources

What is the Tackling Emerging Contaminants (TEC) initiative?

The presence of emerging contaminants and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water poses risks to public health nationwide. The EPA’s Tackling Emerging Contaminants (TEC) initiative is Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) that supports small or disadvantaged communities to assess and address emerging contaminants and PFAS in drinking water, helps water systems comply with the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation, and assists more water utilities apply for and utilize funding, including from the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant (EC-SDC) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The EPA offers this no-cost service to directly assist water systems in reliably providing safe drinking water over the long term and to protect public health.

TEC aims to further administration of the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) grant program by delivering direct, individualized technical assistance to address emerging contaminants and PFAS in small and/or disadvantaged communities.

What kind of services does the TEC initiative provide?

TEC assists small or disadvantaged communities nationwide to assess and address emerging contaminants and PFAS challenges in their public water system. The initiative offers no-cost services to help water systems with:

Sampling and analysis activities, including initial monitoring to comply with the PFAS NPDWR, sampling plans, laboratory analyses, and water quality evaluation reports.
Technical plans, including alternatives analysis, preliminary engineering reports, and source water protection plans.
Implementation support/funding deliverables, including identifying funding options and preparation of funding application materials such as cost estimates or preliminary engineering reports.
Operational training support, including sampling training, operator training for new treatment systems, operation manuals, and standard operating procedures.
Public outreach plans, including developing outreach strategies in collaboration with the water system, providing customer education and risk communications about PFAS or emerging contaminants, and identifying and hosting public events and other opportunities to educate community members and share relevant and accessible information with the public.

In addition to providing direct support to communities that helps build water system capacity, TEC will produce fact sheets, case studies, webinars, and other resources to share best practices and amplify successes, increasing the impact of this initiative. The TEC initiative offers services that help a water system apply for funding; it does not provide direct funding.

Which water systems are eligible for support from the TEC Initiative?

To receive TEC support, communities must meet EC-SDC eligibility requirements. TEC aims to assist small or disadvantaged communities nationwide. A community is considered ‘small or disadvantaged’ when it meets at least one of the following criteria:

“Disadvantaged Community” is one determined by the state to be disadvantaged under the affordability criteria established by the state under section 1452(d)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act or may become a disadvantaged community as a result of carrying out a project or activity under the grant program.
“Small Community” is one that had a population of less than 10,000 individuals and lacks the capacity to incur debt sufficient to finance a project or activity.

How can a water system request to participate in the TEC Initiative?

Water systems that need assistance with addressing emerging contaminants and PFAS can submit a request for support through the EPA's RealWaterTA request form. Requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis. There is no deadline to submit a request.

Click here to submit a RealWaterTA request!