PUBLIC NOTICE   State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program Categorical Exclusion (CE): City of South Bend, Saint Joseph County, Portage Township, PER: Edison Water Filtration Plant; SRF Project DW 25 37 71 00, and PER: Lead Service Line Replacement and North Water Treatment Plant PFAS Planning and Design; SRF Project DW 25 47 71 00.   To all interested parties: this is notification that the City of South Bend Edison Water Filtration Plant (WFP) project and the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) and North Water Treatment Plant (WTP) PFAS Planning and Design project is categorically excluded from substantive environmental review. The SRF is submitting the CE for public notice.   The Edison WFP is capable of becoming a primary producer of drinking water for the City, but production is restricted by existing process limitations and operational issues. Improvements to the Edison WFP would create additional redundancy within the distribution system to support future improvements while providing increased drinking water capacity for the City.   The proposed service line replacement project includes replacement of lead and galvanized service line materials within the Northwest Zone of South Bend’s water distribution system in an effort to reduce the risk of lead exposure.   The proposed project at the North Water Treatment Plant will plan and design PFAS treatment using ion exchange (AIX) treatment. PFAS is defined as an emerging contaminant of concern (EC) by the US EPA.   Total cost of the Edison WFP project is estimated to be approximately $8,000,000, and the total cost of the LSLR and North WTP Planning and Design project is estimated to be 6,368,887. The City of South Bend intends to finance the projects with loans from the Drinking Water SRF Loan Program for a term and annual fixed interest rate to be determined at loan closing. Monthly user rates and charges may need to be analyzed to determine if adjustments are required for loan repayment.   The documentation supporting this CE is available at www.srf.in.gov. A hard copy can be reviewed in the SRF offices by appointment.   Questions may be sent to publiccomments@ifa.in.gov.