Yipian Rivera of the Division of Financial Assistance at the State Water Resources Control Board presented current funding streams and program priorities for wastewater, drinking water, emerging contaminants and site cleanup.

Rivera summarized that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) has directed federal funds to EPA, including state revolving fund supplements for California; those dollars support Clean Water SRF and Drinking Water SRF programs, lead service line replacement, and emerging contaminant remediation. The State Water Board offers grants and low-interest loans for wastewater planning and construction with priority to small disadvantaged communities and septic-to-sewer projects, and for drinking-water infrastructure with priority for systems in failing status or consolidation projects.

Rivera also described programs providing interim or emergency drinking-water solutions (bottled/hailed water, point-of-use devices, emergency treatment or well rehab) and said technical assistance is available for funding applications, planning, engineering, environmental documentation and capacity building; the board uses the FAST (Financial Assistance Submittal Tool) portal for many applications and maintains a FAST help desk. For general funding inquiries Rivera provided DFA phone and advised signing up for program-specific email lists for updates.