Funding for Water Contamination Reduction Initiatives (Section 106 Financing)
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The Clean Water Act (CWA) provides grants under Section 106 to states, interstate agencies, and eligible tribes to establish and support water pollution control programs. These funds play a crucial role in developing, implementing, and enforcing water quality programs to protect surface water.
Key aspects of using CWA Section 106 funds include:
- Eligible Recipients: State environmental agencies, interstate water pollution control agencies, and federally recognized tribes or Tribal consortia are eligible to receive Section 106 grants.
- Purpose of Funds: The grants support activities such as water quality monitoring, assessment, and management to identify and control sources of water pollution.
- Use of Funds for Monitoring: Section 106 funds may be used to enhance water quality monitoring by increasing the frequency of sampling and expanding parameters measured.
- Program Development and Management: Recipients use Section 106 grants to develop comprehensive water quality management plans, conduct water quality assessments, and coordinate pollution control efforts.
- Integration with Other Funding Sources: Section 106 funds often operate alongside other EPA grant programs, helping address a broader range of water quality improvement activities effectively.
- Tribal Programs: Federally recognized tribes are eligible to receive Section 106 funds to implement water quality standards and pollution control programs within their jurisdictions.
Detailed guidance for using CWA Section 106 funds can be found in documents such as "Guidance for states, interstate agencies, and tribes on how to use Section 106 funds for associated program support costs" and "FY 2023 - FY2024 Section 106 Supplemental Grant Guidance". Additional guidance for tribal entities is available in the "Clean Water Act Section 106 Tribal Guidance" and "Class Exception from 40 CFR 35.585 (Tribal Match)".
For example, the Ho-Chunk Nation’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan (2025) demonstrates the typical use of Section 106 funds, with their water quality program being 100% funded through Section 106 grants. The funds are used to monitor expanded parameters to evaluate program effectiveness and guide management activities.
While specific EPA guidance documents detail reporting requirements, priority setting, and program evaluation criteria, the core purpose of Section 106 funds is to build and sustain state, interstate, and tribal water quality programs that can monitor water bodies, develop pollution control strategies, and protect surface waters from point and nonpoint pollution sources.
In summary, Section 106 grants under the Clean Water Act fund critical water quality programs for states, tribes, and interstate agencies, focusing on monitoring, assessment, pollution control program implementation, and improving water quality standards and enforcement capacity.
[1] Source: Ho-Chunk Nation’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan (2025)
- The Ho-Chunk Nation's water quality program, entirely funded through Section 106 grants, utilizes science to monitor expanded parameters and evaluate program effectiveness, aligning with the health-and-wellness and environmental-science goals of protecting surface waters.
- To ensure effective water quality improvement, Section 106 funds are often integrated with other EPA grant programs, promoting a comprehensive approach that enforces pollution control and improves water quality standards, ultimately safeguarding the environment and public health.
- As the Clean Water Act Section 106 grants support water quality programs, the enforcement of water pollution controls becomes crucial in tackling pollution sources, contributing to the preservation and restoration of water bodies for the benefit of both the environment and human well-being.
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