Opportunity Overview
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Environmental Contamination Small System Drinking Water Grant Program, commonly identified as EC-SDC, supports eligible small other-than-municipal and nonprofit non-community public water systems that need to address qualifying PFAS or manganese contamination. The nonprofit non-community category can include schools and daycare centers that are not served by a municipal water system, making this a relevant Wisconsin school, environmental-health, and public-health infrastructure opportunity.
Funding
DNR states that an eligible public water system may receive up to $240,000. The program covers 100% of eligible project costs and does not require cost sharing. Awards are reimbursement based. DNR may make partial quarterly reimbursements and may withhold up to 20% for final payment until required project closeout materials are complete.
Eligibility
The applicant must be the owner or an authorized representative of an eligible active other-than-municipal or nonprofit non-community public water system in the Wisconsin drinking water database. The system must serve a population of fewer than 10,000 and must have qualifying PFAS or manganese contamination under the current DNR program thresholds. For nonprofit non-community systems, eligible owners can include governmental entities, public school districts, and qualifying 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) organizations that do not engage in lobbying. Schools and daycare centers may qualify when they meet the public-water-system definition and the other program conditions.
Eligible Activities
The current DNR page identifies eligible activities that can include planning and design, technical assistance, construction and treatment work, consolidation with another water system, a new well, and installation of treatment needed to address the qualifying contamination. Project eligibility and cost eligibility should be confirmed against the current application forms and DNR instructions before a budget is finalized.
Deadline and Submission
The current DNR webpage states that complete applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026 or until available funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first. Applications are submitted to DNRECSDCGrants@wisconsin.gov. The current webpage does not publish an exact closing clock time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. A Unique Entity Identifier is required, and DNR generally reimburses costs after award except for specifically approved pre-award costs.
Required Application Materials
The current DNR webpage identifies Form 8700-029, including its required attachments; Environmental Review Form 8700-022, including required attachments; a W-9; and, for nonprofit non-community systems, an IRS tax-exempt affirmation unless the system is government owned. Applicants should use the current versions of all DNR forms and verify any additional documentation required for the specific project.
Source-Control Warning
The current 2026 DNR program webpage links an official EC-SDC Grant Announcement PDF that still visibly contains dates from the prior 2024-2025 cycle, including a June 30, 2025 application deadline. That linked PDF therefore conflicts with the current webpage’s 2026 schedule. Atlas treats the current DNR webpage as the current status source, but applicants should obtain written DNR clarification or a current replacement grant announcement and confirm the current form versions before substantive package work or submission.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 87/100. N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. Dr. Miltie Direct Applicant Fit: 0/100 on currently verified capabilities. This is a strong Wisconsin school, environmental-health, and public-health infrastructure opportunity, particularly for qualifying schools and daycare facilities with their own small public water systems, but the verified scope is drinking-water contamination mitigation rather than clinical technology or healthcare-device procurement.
Next Action
Before an organization-specific pursuit, confirm that funds remain available, obtain DNR clarification or a current replacement for the stale linked grant-announcement PDF, verify the exact closing time and time zone, confirm the current form versions and required attachments, and document the public water system’s eligibility and qualifying contamination. New applicant outreach should not begin until the exact deadline controls are authoritatively verified.