Grants of up to $3,000 to Minnesota public water systems serving rural and low-income areas to improve fluoridation programs. Questions regarding this program will be accepted through March 22. This program is open to any municipality that does not currently provide a minimum fluoride concentration standard or that is in need of replacing its existing fluoridation equipment in order to continue providing an adequate fluoride concentration.

The goal of the Fluoridation Equipment Improvement Grant is to provide assistance to PWSs located in low-income and rural areas designated as D-HPSAs in updating fluoridation infrastructure for consistency with federal and state regulations.

The MDH seeks to assist PWSs which do not have resources to update their infrastructure to meet recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendations for communities to maintain 0.7 mg/L fluoride in drinking water. This recommendation serves as an important target because it is expected the MDH will propose revision of Minnesota Rule 4700.0030 to reflect the evidence-based science behind that recommendation in the near future.

The MDH Drinking Water Protection Section will administer federal grant funds to reimburse eligible PWSs for costs involved in optimizing drinking water fluoridation. Grant awards will fund the purchase, installation, and engineering costs of fluoridation process equipment used by Minnesota community public water supplies. The grant awards may not be used for the purchase of fluoride chemicals, administrative costs, or other indirect costs.

The MDH Drinking Water Protection Section is making available a total of $10,000 in assistance provided through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number T12HP30311, “Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities”. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Grant funds must be used for new or replacement fluoridation equipment purchased in the grant project period prior to June 30, 2017. Engineering costs may be included in the request. Grants, if extended, will be contingent upon the funding available and the grantee’s satisfactory performance, including execution and fulfillment of the proposed work plan, achievement of objectives, and appropriate use of the awarded funds.

Fluoridation Equipment Improvement Grant funding is to be used solely for the purchase, installation, and engineering costs of fluoridation process equipment.