Large PWS Lead Service Line Inventory Grant

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services has launched the Large PWS Lead Service Line Inventory Grant program to assist water systems with over 1,000 service connections in identifying service lines marked as 'unknown'. This initiative is part of compliance with the EPA Lead Copper Rule Improvements, requiring annual service line inventories. Grants of up to $60,000 are available, with no community match required, to facilitate the identification and replacement planning of lead service lines.

General Grant Information
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau (DWGB) is pleased to announce the Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) Large Community Water Systems Grant program!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Lead Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) requires community water systems and non-transient, non-community water systems, herein referred to as “water systems” or “systems,” to submit a service line inventory to NHDES annually by November 1 until all service lines within the distribution system have been identified. The purpose of the inventory is to identify the material, and other pertinent information of service lines and ultimately create a replacement plan for all lead service lines and galvanized service lines downstream of lead pipe, also known as galvanized requiring replacement (GRR). This includes the entirety of the service line from the water main to the structure. This grant program is to assist with identifying the material of service lines that were listed as "unknown" material type in the initial inventory submitted in 2024.
Funds for this program may be used for in-house or outside services. Consultants and/or contractors should be selected based on their knowledge and experience with similar projects.
The program offers grants of $60,000 to water systems with greater than 1,000 service connections and service lines listed as "unknown" in the initial lead service line inventory. No community match is required. Total project cost may exceed the grant amount; however, only the grant amount will be reimbursed.

Eligibility

Water systems with greater than 1,000 service connections and service lines listed as "unknown" in the initial inventory are eligible to apply. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following tasks when used for creating the lead service line inventories:Records reviewDigitizing historic recordsBuilding inspectionsTest pits/potholing.