The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has awarded seven Water Quality Improvement Grants (WQIG), totaling more than $1.9 million, to help improve water conditions in four state waterways.

The grants are to fund field projects aimed at reducing E. coli, excess nutrients and sediment caused by runoff from nonregulated sources in areas the Environmental Protection Agencyhas deemed as impaired. These waterways include Oak Creek, the San Francisco River, the San Pedro River and Granite Creek. Each area is considered impaired due to rainfall, melting snow or irrigation that carries pollutant-containing sediment into the water.

Polluted runoff from non-regulated sources, such as agriculture, forestry, grazing and septic systems, threatens public health and the environment, potentially causing harm to drinking water, fisheries and wildlife.

“ADEQ’s Water Quality Improvement Grant Program arms qualifying parties with funds to support important projects to prevent and address pollution from nonregulated sources,” ADEQ Water Quality Division Director Trevor Baggiore said. “We vet each application using a stringent evaluation process to ensure awarded funds achieve the most impactful environmental benefits and outcomes for impaired waters in Arizona.”