The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program (SAFER)

The Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Program (SAFER) is a set of tools, funding sources, and regulatory authorities designed to ensure that one million Californians who currently lack safe drinking water receive safe and affordable drinking water as quickly as possible. The program includes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water (SADW) Fund, which will provide up to $130 million per year for ten years to address funding gaps and provide solutions to water systems, especially those serving disadvantaged communities. The program will prioritize emergency or urgent funding needs, community water systems out of compliance with primary health standards, and consolidations for systems out of compliance. • Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and tribal governments. • Eligible projects must facilitate reductions of greenhouse gas emissions or improve climate change adaptation and resiliency of disadvantaged communities. • The program will provide reimbursement funding, and a letter of intent is required. • The expected award announcement is ongoing, and the period of performance is 4 years.