The Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4204)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 832-F-99-051
May 1999
The Clean Water State
Revolving Fund Program
An Innovative Partnership...

THE Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF) program is an innovative method
of financing a range of environmental projects.
Under the program, the EPA provides grants or
"seed money" to all 50 states plus Puerto jljpqlo
capitalize state loan funds. The states,Jn-lurr"
make loans to communities, Jodillftols^M
1 f 1 • 1 • . ^fv^iSfff-'
others for high-pnonty wa|^4^J*y activities. As
money is paid back iniojiieleevMving fund, new
, , . . '. .
loans are made to
in maintaining
Currently, the pro?
in assets.
The CWSRF pro]
between EPA and thl
flexibility to provide fun<
address their highest-priority
While traditionally used to build
wastewater treatment plants, loans are
increasingly for:
A major benefit for municipalities and other loan
recipients is the substantial financial savings they
can realize. When funded with a loan from this
program, a project typically costs much less than it
would if funded through the bond market. Many
states offer low or no interest rate loans to small
disadvantaged communities, providing an
tiojial incentive to getting projects started. For
commuiuor
jj^ •*»*'
percet of the total
a zero-percent loan to a
%aving the communitv 50
^s-^'^i'^^'v J
sts over a similar loan
also
^aJ^te&State'Revolving Fund program's
primary mission is to promote water quality.
Besides financial savings, loan recipients can
realize significant environmental benefits,
protection of public health and
Igal watersheds. Loans for such
tend to stimulate local
•aging commercial
so
• agricultural, rural, and urbanrunoff control^
• estuary improvemej
• wet weather floj
stormwater
• alternative tn
• water reuse and col
Mgible.
it's in it for you?
*g
The program allows federal, state, and \
agencies te leverage limited dollars. Becaus
the funds' revolving nature, the federal investment
can result in the construction of up to four times
as many projects over a 20-year period as a one-
time grant.

Besides financial savings, loan
recipients can realize significant
environmental benefits....
SINCE the largely by the
states, varies according to
each and priorities. Eligible loan
ay include communities, individuals,
is' groups, and non-profit organizations.
__^ funds may be used to better the quality of
watersheds through a wide range of water-quality
related projects; loans may also be used for the
protection of groundwater resources.

Together with its partners, the EPA continually
seeks ways to improve the program so that its
resources will effectively address the nation's
highest-priority water quality issues. Recently,
state programs have begun to devote an increasing
volume of loans to nonpoint source, estuary
management, and other water-quality projects.

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Eligible nonpoint source projects include virtually
any activity that  a state has identified in its
nonpoint source management plan. Such activities
include  projects  to  control  runoff  from
agricultural land; conservation tillage and other
projects to address soil erosion; development of
streambank buffer zones; and wetlands protection
and restoration. Estuary management proj ects may
include any  of the activities above, as well as
restocking fish, restoration of wildlife habitat,
provision of marine sewage pump-out facilities,
and others.
                                             control  activities,  including  stormwater  and
                                             sanitary and combined sewer control measures, are
                                             also eligible for funding.

                                             The EPA  encourages its  state partners to use
                                             watershed planning and develop integrated priority
                                             setting systems to choose projects that address the
                                             greatest  remaining  environmental  challenges.
                                             Because of  its flexibility  and  its focus  on
                                             environmental results, the  State Revolving Fund
                                             program is  a  common-sense partnership to.
                                             improve America's water resources. Q
 Supporting Cleaner JandSafer^
 Water;America's Clean Water Act
 •rphe Clean Waterr*AcBs:the' prirna
  JL legislation for pro^^^
 suchTas *riyefs,
Act has
               cent^
              rMIlly4^^
 Wo'logical -mte^^-o£qin-Ma^^S^|^^^^5
 building ; -or -^g
 treatmen
iActt
Recipients may use loans for the planning, design,
and construction of publicly owned wastewater
treatment facilities or to build or rehabilitate
sewer collection systems. Urban wet weather flow
For more information* about the Clean Water
   State Revolving Fund, or for a program
 representative in your state, please contact:

 Clean Water State Revolving Fund Branch
   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
     401 M Street, SW (Mailcode 4204)
          Washington, DC 20460
Phone: (202) 260-7359   Fax: (202) 260-1827
      Internet: http://www.epa.gov/owm
                                                            Clean Water
                                                            State Revolving Fund
                                             * Individual factsheets on using the CWSRF to
                                             fund   Wetlands,   Estuaries,   Brownfields
                                             Remediation, and Polluted Runoff Abatement are
                                             now available. Many more factsheets are under
                                             development.  Visit our website for further details
                                             and updates.

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