£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of GroundWater
and Drinking Water
4606
EPA 816-R-00-005
August 2000
The Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund Program
Case Studies in Implementation
. Disadvantaged Communities
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
This page intentionally left blank.
-------
Contents:
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. DEFINING A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY 5
AFFORDABILITY CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING DISADVANTAGED C OMMUNITIES 5
DATA SOURCES 10
3. STATE CASE STUDIES 11
FLORIDA 11
MAINE 13
MARYLAND 16
NEW HAMPSHIRE 18
NEW YORK 22
OREGON 24
SOUTH CAROLINA 28
WASHINGTON 29
4. CONCLUSION 32
5. RESOURCES 39
APPENDIX A INFORMATION RESOURCES ON POVERTY
APPENDIX B AFFORDABILITY AND LOW-INCOME/DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES
APPENDIX C SELECTED PROGRAM COMPONENTS FROM CASE STUDY STATES
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
This page intentionally left blank.
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
One of the key provisions of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments is the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRFl) program. Through the DWSRF, states can
provide below-market interest rate loans to publicly and privately owned community water
systems (CWSs) and nonprofit noncommunity water systems (NCWSs) for necessary
infrastructure improvements. Under the DWSRF program, states may establish separate eligibility
criteria and special funding options for economically disadvantaged communities.
Section 1452 of the SDWA defines a disadvantaged community as "the service area of a public
water system that meets affordability criteria established after public review and comment by the
State in which the public water system is located." Under this section, states may provide
additional subsidies (including forgiveness of principal) to communities that meet the established
criteria, or that are expected to meet these criteria as a result of a proposed project.
The amount of loan subsidies that a state can provide to its disadvantaged communities is limited
to 30 percent of the state's capitalization grant. In addition to providing subsidies, states may
extend the term of DWSRF loans to disadvantaged communities. Under §1452(f), states may
extend the loan term from 20 years to 30 years after the date of project completion, provided that
the repayment period does not exceed the design life of the project. States cannot provide
disadvantaged assistance for loans made under the set-asides (i.e., source-water protection
activities.)
States that choose to establish a disadvantaged community program must describe the program in
their intended use plans (lUPs). EPA's Final Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program
Guidelines (February 1997) require that the program description include:
(1) A definition of disadvantaged community,
(2) The total amount of the capitalization grant that may be used for providing additional
subsidies,
(3) To the maximum extent practicable, an identification of systems that will receive additional
subsidies and the amount, and
(4) A description of affordability criteria that the state will use to determine the level of
disadvantaged assistance.
:For consistency, the acronym DWSRF is used throughout the paper even though some states use other acronyms to
describe their programs.
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
The Program Guidelines also specify that "loan subsidies under this provision cannot be banked
for future use." Thus, a state may not take more than 30 percent from its capitalization grant for
loan subsidies, even if it did not use the full 30 percent from previous fiscal years' grants.
This report provides a resource for states that are interested in establishing or modifying a drinking
water assistance program for disadvantaged communities. Section 2 of the report discusses
affordability criteria for purposes of defining a disadvantaged community. Section 3 of the report
provides an overview of the disadvantaged community programs currently being implemented in
eight states:
n Florida
n Maine
n Maryland
n New Hampshire
n New York
n Oregon
n South Carolina
n Washington
Each summary provides a description of the program's key elements, information on
methodologies used to determine the amount and type of assistance that may be provided, the steps
taken to determine the long-term impacts of disadvantaged assistance on the Fund, and examples
of systems that have benefited from the disadvantaged community program. Section 4 presents
general observations.
In addition to the sections described above, the report has three appendices:
n Appendix A provides additional information on poverty measurement.
n Appendix B summarizes the specific portions of the lUPs for 13 additional states that
address affordability and disadvantaged communities.
n Appendix C contains illustrations of selected program components from the case study
states.
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
No universal definition of "disadvantaged community" is available for public policy purposes.
Different federal and state programs may establish different criteria. Different terms—such as
distressed, challenged, or impoverished—also are used to designate communities as economically
disadvantaged.
Section 1452 of the SDWA defines a disadvantaged community as "the service area of a public
water system that meets affordability criteria established after public review and comment by the
State in which the public water system is located." The challenge of defining a disadvantaged
community is left to the individual states.
A disadvantaged community generally is defined in socioeconomic terms, and median household
income (MHI) is a typical measure. MHI can be used to assess the impact of utility rate increases,
measured as a percentage of MHI. Income data also are used to identify people and households
living below the poverty level, which is defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
Other social indicators, such as unemployment rates, also can be used to measure a community's
degree of distress, socioeconomic condition, or potential need. Trend data can be useful to identify
areas that are declining or improving over time. Generally, a correlation is expected among the
typical indicators of community distress.
:" ': '.'''•; .;y..7 ' . "•:'.: "••'.,
Affordability is among the primary ranking criteria identified by Section 1452(b)(3) of the SDWA
for use in prioritizing funding under the DWSRF program. In determining the priority of funding,
a State's IUP shall provide, to the maximum extent practicable, that priority for the use of funds be
given to projects that:
i. address the most serious risk to human health;
ii. are necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Title
[SDWA] (including requirements of filtration); and
iii. assist systems most in need on a per household basis according to State
affordability criteria [bold added]
Separate provisions apply to disadvantaged communities. As already noted, states may provide
additional subsidies (including forgiveness of principal) and extend the term of loans to
communities that meet the established criteria that define a disadvantaged community, or that are
expected to meet these criteria as a result of a proposed project.
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
Many states have already developed affordability criteria for determining whether a particular
small system should be eligible for a variance from requirements specifying a maximum
contaminant level (MCL) or treatment technique. Section 1415(e) of the SDWA required EPA to
publish information to assist the states in formulating affordability criteria for this purpose.
According to the statute, this information was to be developed by the EPA in consultation with the
states and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pursuant to the
SDWA, EPA published Information for States on Developing Affordability Criteria for Drinking
Water in February 1998 (EPA 816-R-98-002).
As discussed in Information for States, affordability assessment typically involves two levels of
analysis. The first measures household affordability or ability to pay, and often is used for
screening purposes. In other words, systems falling below a specified level are subjected to further
tests of affordability. A conventional household affordability measure is the ratio of annual user
charges (AUC) to annual MHI:
AUC v
= X percent
Annual MHI
where:
X = a household affordability threshold
The established threshold can be compared to actual data to determine whether affordability is a
potential concern. Among the variations of this formula are (1) including water and wastewater
charges in the numerator, (2) using average (mean) household income in the denominator, and (3)
weighting the measures to capture poverty effects.
Another type of affordability analysis shifts attention from the household's ability to pay to the
water system's capacity to finance operations. Financial ratio analysis often is used to assess the
financial health of a water system for lending and other purposes.
The distinction between household and water system affordability becomes blurred for a number
of reasons. A system's ability to secure financing from external sources, for example, may depend
on general indicators of the financial health of the community (that is, household income
measures). In other words, household-level indicators sometimes are used to measure water
system financial capacity.
Information for States also provides a general framework for considering system-level
affordability based on the generalized flow of resources to, from, and around water systems (see
Exhibit 2.1). This framework can be used to understand sources of revenues available to different
types of water systems. The key elements of the model are:
n Water systems. Considers water systems of different sizes and ownership characteristics.
n Water users. Includes residential and nonresidential water customers who support water
system costs through rates and other charges.
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
n Communities. Identifies the lowest level of local government within which the water
system provides service (for example, cities, counties, and districts). Although some
communities own and operate systems, the distinction between communities and water
systems is important.
n Private-sector capital. Includes bank loans, equity (stock), and other sources of private
capital or financial support that can be provided to the water system. Private-sector
sources of capital may not improve affordability if they add substantially to debt costs.
n Public-sector capital. Includes grants, loans, subsidies, and other sources of public
capital or financial support that can be provided to the water system. When it helps
reduce total costs, public-sector capital can improve affordability.
n Socioeconomic conditions. Income, employment, and other socioeconomic indicators
measure the general ability of households in a water system's service territory to pay for
water service.
Available resources will vary by system type (community or noncommunity) and ownership
(public or private). The implication is that affordability assessment criteria might also vary by
system type and ownership.
Information for States also provides a general framework for an affordability analysis that builds
on this understanding of resource flows (see Exhibit 2.2). Household affordability is perhaps the
most basic and essential element of the framework, assuming the desirability of supporting the true
cost of water through user charges. The framework also suggests a variety of additional indicators
for analyzing affordability.
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 2.1
Generalized Resource Flows To and From
Water Systems
Assistance to
individuals
Public
Sector Capital
Debt
payments
Rates and other
payments
Assistance
programs
Loans,
grants
Voluntary
assistance
Water
System
Debt
payments,
dividends
Loans,
equity
Private
Sector Capital
General (block)
grants
Bond revenues,
subsidies
Debt payments,
subsidies
Communities
Loans, bonds
Socioeconomic Conditions
(income, employment, etc.)
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 2.2
System-Level Affordability Indicators
Category
Household
affordability
Financial
capacity
Access to
private
capital
Eligibility
for public
capital
Fiscal
conditions
Socio-
economic
conditions
Focus
Rate impact on the
capacity of water users
(particularly residential
users) to support the full
cost of water service
(including debt repayment)
through user charges.
The financial structure of
the water system,
including internal sources
of capital, key financial
ratios, and business
planning capability.
Ability of the water system
to arrange financing
(such as a bank loan)
through private sector
equity and debt markets.
Ability of the water system
to secure financing
(grants or loans) from
local (community) or
nonlocal (DWSRF and
other programs) public
sources.
Fiscal stress on the
community in terms of the
condition of local
government finances and
competing demands for
capital and operating
expenditures.
General socioeconomic
conditions related to
household affordability,
priority for public funding,
and fiscal distress.
Level of Analysis
Households
Water system
System
(or parent entity)
and private capital
markets
System
(or parent entity)
and public capital
markets
Relevant local
government
Service territory
Selected Indicators
• Ratio of user charges to income
• Ratio of user charges to income
relative to income levels
• Percentage rate increase (rate shock)
• Ratio of revenues to expenditures
• Ratio of net income to revenues
• Ratio of assets to liabilities
• Debt-service coverage
• Composite indicators of financial
health
• Market test for goods and services
(noncommunity systems)
• Credit and bond ratings
• Debt and debt capacity
• Market test
• Credit and bond ratings
• Priority rankings
• Eligibility test
• Debt as a percentage of market
property value
• Tax revenues as a percentage of
market property values
• Property tax collection or delinquency
rate
• Local expenditures per resident
• Opportunity costs associated with
water system expenditures
• Median Household Income
• Percent below the poverty level
• Percent unemployment
• Composite indicators of distressed
communities
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Information for States on Developing Affordability Criteria for
Drinking Water (1998).
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
Data Sources
Quantitative measures of disadvantage require valid and reliable sources of data. Several data
sources are available to help identify low-income populations:2
Q U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Reports, Series P-60 on Income and Poverty. In
addition to using U.S. Census-defined parameters for measuring income and poverty, it is
important to consider state and regional low-income and poverty definitions where
appropriate.
Q Local resources such as community and public outreach groups, community leaders, and
state universities (e.g., economic departments).
Q State and local agencies such as departments of taxation and employment. Other agencies
may be able to provide additional data on economic indicators such as the status and level
of public services provided to community members (e.g., health care, education,
infrastructure, etc.) and the dependence of the parts of the community on natural resources
for subsistence.
Q Commercial database firms that collect and market statistical demographic information.
Q Location/distributional tools such as maps, aerial photographs, and geographical
information systems (GIS).
Q Local income surveys that involve community members in defining their communities.
Such efforts are effective in obtaining the most current available data on income and
poverty levels.
Using standardized measures and readily available data obviously simplifies program
administration and achieves a degree of equity across communities. However, some programs
might incorporate other assessment tools, such as local income surveys to establish a community's
status. This may be especially important for communities whose pockets of poverty are masked by
aggregate statistics.
U.S. EPA, Final Guidance for Consideration of Environmental Justice in Clean Air Act 309 Reviews (July 1999,
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/ofa/ejjiepa. html).
10
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
3. State Case Studies
States that establish assistance programs for disadvantaged communities must describe the
programs in their lUPs. In addition to the ITJPs, some states have published resource documents
on DWSRF and other funding programs, methodologies used in funding, and summaries of
funding experience.
This section reviews the
disadvantaged community
components of the DWSRF
programs in eight states:
Q Florida
Q Maine
Q New Hampshire
Q New York
Q Maryland
Q Oregon
Q South Carolina
-*•
Q Washington
A brief description of each state program is provided along with an overview of implementation
experience. Information was compiled from published sources, including the state lUPs and Web
sites, as well as state personnel.
Florida
Program Description
Florida plans to use 15 percent of the total funds available, or 30 percent of the capitalization grant,
whichever is less, for assistance to disadvantaged communities. A financially disadvantaged
community is defined as a municipality, county, or agency that has a public water system (PWS)
service jurisdiction served by a CWS and has an MHI less than the statewide average as reported
in the most recent decennial census or other verifiable determination (i.e., local survey).
Florida provides assistance to disadvantaged communities for pre-construction and construction
activities in the form of principal forgiveness3 and extended loan terms (up to 30 years). Standard
loans are provided for a term of 20 years at an interest rate equal to 60 percent of the market rate.4
Principal is forgiven only for projects that address a public health risk or for which a compliance
3 The term principal forgiveness is used throughout this paper when referring to the type of assistance where a portion
of the total loan amount is forgiven.
4 The interest rate is calculated on a quarterly basis using the average rate reported in "Bond Buyer 20 - General
Obligation Bond Index" for the previous 3 months.
11
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
priority was assigned. For pre-construction activities, including project planning and design,
principal forgiveness is available only to small (serving 10,000 or less), rate-based CWSs unless
the project is based, in part, on consolidation or regionalization. In addition, each sponsor may
have the principal forgiven for only one pre-construction project, at 85 percent of the estimated
post-allowance project costs.5 Principal forgiveness for construction activities is either 65 percent
or 85 percent of the estimated post-allowance costs, depending on the MHI and financial burden
ratio,6 as defined by the Florida Administrative Code. In any fiscal year, no single project sponsor
may exceed $750,000 or 25 percent of the available funds for disadvantaged communities;
whichever is less. It is possible that the principal for a portion of the project's cost will be
forgiven, but the system will not receive a loan for the balance. In this case, the difference in
funding must be provided by another source. Generally, a combination of principal forgiveness
and loan funding is provided.
Implementation Experience
As of December 3, 1999, Florida had awarded $6.5 million to 13 disadvantaged communities
through the DWSRF program. At that time, Florida had awarded a total of $63.8 million in
funding under the program.
Florida has found that very small communities typically cannot afford consultants to plan and
design their projects. Since planning and design must be completed before a project can be placed
on the fundable portion of the priority list, Florida also offers assistance for pre-construction
activities. Alternatively, allowances may be used to cover certain expenses that the system is
unable to cover in the short run, such as planning and design. DWSRF funds generally are
disbursed on a cost-incurred basis. An allowance is a portion of the funds that is received up front.
Allowances may be used to cover initial planning, administrative costs, and engineering expenses.
Section 62-552.420 of the Florida statute discusses the three types of project allowances and the
limitations on each type (see Appendix C).
Because the disadvantaged community program will create a funding option for many systems that
otherwise might be ineligible for financial assistance, there is a heightened fear of default. Florida
is developing a contingency plan in the event that some of the small, privately held systems default
on their DWSRF loans. The plan likely will be an extension of the program that Florida Rural
Water developed to help small systems meet operator certification requirements. This consists of a
cadre of retired operators who provide free technical support to small systems throughout the state.
The DWSRF plan will create a pool of trained individuals who can step in and run a water system
if necessary.
5 Post-allowance project costs are allowable costs for post-allowance activities (i.e., construction, procurement of
equipment and materials, land acquisition, demolition, and technical services after construction bid opening) and
contingency and, for projects to be funded with loans, capitalized interest, loan repayment reserve, and loan service
fee.
6 The financial burden ratio is based on the debt service (including the DWSRF loan) and the relationship between the
community MHI and the statewide average. When the MHI > 80 percent of the statewide average, the financial
burden ratio criterion is 1.0 percent. When the MHI < 80 percent of the statewide average, the financial burden ratio
criterion is 0.5 percent.
12
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
Although no legal requirement or agreement requires coordination among state agencies in
developing funding packages, Florida's Bureau of Water Facilities Funding works closely with
other state funding sources to facilitate the application process for water systems and to help
ensure that each system receives the maximum public funding available. The state holds regular
meetings to discuss funding distribution.
Florida recognizes that there will be an impact on the total amount of money available for DWSRF
loans as a result of its disadvantaged community program. However, the state is not worried about
the long-term health of the Fund. The disadvantaged community provision in SDWA is tied to
federal capitalization, which is scheduled to occur through fiscal year 2003. When capitalization
grants end, so will Florida's disadvantaged community program. Florida is confident, therefore,
that the viability of the Fund will never be in jeopardy.
Community Example
Cross City
In March 1999, Cross City, a small CWS serving approximately 1,000 customers, was awarded
$142,313 in disadvantaged assistance for pre-construction activities. Decisionmakers believed it
would not be possible to fund a project of this size solely through other sources. In consultation
with Florida Rural Water Association, Cross City was encouraged to consider the DWSRF
program for the project. The proposed project involves the construction and improvement of
drinking water facilities to correct existing problems, improve reliability, enable more efficient
operation and maintenance, and meet future growth demands over the useful life of the facility.
Due to the community's disadvantaged status, Cross City qualified for 85 percent principal
forgiveness. As of the publication of this
report, construction funds allocated to
this project totaled $3.6 million, of which
$3.0 million was awarded in the form of
principal forgiveness. The remaining
For More Information
Don Berryhill
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
portion was provided in the form of a 30- ph(me:
year loan at 3 percent interest. _ .. , ,.„ ,^,
A 1 1- • 1 T^TTTOT^T- • MI i E-mail: berry hill d@.dep. state .fl. us
Additional DWSRF assistance will be ,,, ,, 1 , . r, ', 7 7 r.f,, r,,f i,.^
. . . . http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wff/dwsrt7default.htm
sought to complete the construction
portion of this $4.0 million project.
Maine
Program Description
Maine plans to use up to 30 percent of its capitalization grant for loan subsidies to systems in
disadvantaged communities each year. A disadvantaged system is defined as a public drinking
water system whose year-round residential water consumers have an MHI of up to $28,227 (the
MHI for non-metropolitan Maine).
13
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
The loan terms for disadvantaged systems depend on the customers' MHI, the system's actual rate,
and the goal rate (termed the Maximum Water Rate Goal, or MWRG). Repayment period, interest
rate, and amount of principal forgiveness are calculated in an effort to keep the system's water
rates at or below the MWRG. For systems with an MHI between $22,582 and $28,227, the
MWRG is determined by multiplying the MHI by 1.6 percent. For systems with an MHI of
$22,581 or less, the MWRG is equal to the MHI times 1.4 percent. To help systems achieve the
MWRG during repayment of the loan, the loan term is first extended from 20 to 30 years. Next,
subsidies in the form of principal forgiveness are provided at a maximum level of 75 percent of the
requested loan amount. Maine waives loan fees for systems that qualify for principal forgiveness.
If the MWRG still cannot be achieved, the remaining 25 percent will be loaned interest free. (The
standard interest rate for DWSRF loans is 2 percent below the market rate, as determined by the
Maine Municipal Bond Bank.)
There are limitations on the type and amount of assistance that disadvantaged communities can
receive. Because source water protection loans are not eligible for principal forgiveness, they can
only receive loan terms that are less than the standard rate, but no lower than 0 percent. Non-
community, non-profit water systems may receive principal forgiveness only if sufficient funds
remain after qualifying CWS projects have been financed. A system of this type may receive no
more than 50 percent of the estimated project costs in principal forgiveness, and the proposed
project must be designed to resolve an enforcement action.
To demonstrate eligibility for disadvantaged community assistance, systems may either use 1990
Census data or a survey of their customer population's current income. Guidelines and assistance
in conducting income surveys are provided free of charge. Surveys are reviewed to ensure that an
appropriate response rate is achieved and that systems do not simply target low-income areas
within their service territory. Maine has refused disadvantaged assistance to several systems that
have presented misleading income surveys.
Implementation Experience
The demand for assistance to disadvantaged communities has generally exceeded the funds
available for this purpose. Program coordinators report, however, that the first-come, first-served
basis that guides the application process has worked fairly well; most disadvantaged systems that
are prepared to begin construction receive funding. As of December 31, 1999, the program had
provided $4.4 million in forgiven principal to 14 disadvantaged communities. This amounts to
about 25-26 percent of Maine's annual capitalization grant, and about a third of total loans for each
year. On average, disadvantaged systems received 69 percent principal forgiveness. Coordinators
regret that, because federal funds became available only in 1997, systems that were slow to make
improvements to comply with the Surface Water Treatment Rule were rewarded with principal
forgiveness.
Maine coordinates the DWSRF program with the Department of Economic and Community
Development, the Maine Rural Development Council (MRDC), HUD's Community Development
Block Grant program, and the Rural Utility Service's grant and loan program. In this way, the
state can assist more disadvantaged communities and ensure that as many communities as possible
get the financial help that they need to make necessary infrastructure improvements.
14
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Maine recognizes that offering principal forgiveness will have a long-term impact on the DWSRF.
As stated explicitly in the IUP, the allocation proposed for 1999 will reduce the future amount of
funds available to the DWSRF by $2.1 million, plus the lost interest earnings. Although program
staff members have not undertaken a detailed analysis of the long-term impacts, they have begun
entering data into the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Planning Model provided by the EPA. Program
coordinators hope that there will be less demand for funds for disadvantaged systems in the future.
Disadvantaged systems are currently using funds from the DWSRF and other grant and loan
programs to convert from surface water sources to ground water sources, and many are able to
build entirely new systems or components. It is hoped that these systems will need funding only
for smaller scale projects in the future, rather than for complete upgrades or new construction.
Community Examples
Winter Harbor Water District
Winter Harbor is a small coastal community with a population of about 700 people served by a
newly created water district (purchased from a private owner). At the time of the purchase, the
households served by the system were under a boil water order. The system was out of
compliance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule, relied on a source of questionable quality,
used no filtration, and provided inadequate disinfection. DWSRF and Maine Rural Development
Council (MRDC) funds paid for the construction of a well, pump station with treatment,
transmission line, and storage tank.
With an MHI of $19,712, Winter Harbor is considered a disadvantaged community. At the time of
the water system's purchase, water bills were $300 per household annually.7 The water bill
threshold established in Maine's intended use plan was 1.4 percent of MHI, or $276 per year. The
gap between the threshold and actual water bills qualified Winter Harbor for maximum
disadvantaged assistance. This assistance included principal forgiveness for 75 percent of the
requested loan amount; the remaining 25 percent of the loan was provided interest free. The $1.1
million DWSRF loan made it possible for Winter Harbor to switch its water supply from a non-
potable surface water source to a ground water source with adequate disinfection and storage while
offering affordable rates.
Ashland Water and Sewer District ,^^^^^^^^^^^^=^^^^^^^^^^^^_
Before making improvements to its drinking
water system, the town of Ashland drew its
raw water from a surface source. But the
system was plagued by infrastructure
problems. The facility that treated the drinking
water was defective. The inside of the
system's storage tank was covered with lead-
based paint, and the tank's roof was collapsing.
MRDC helped fund the development of a new
groundwater source and the construction of a
For More Information
David Breau
DWSRF Administrator
ME Department of Human Services
Phone: (207) 287-5685
E-mail: david.breau@.state.me.us
http://janus.state.me.us/dhs/eng/water/srf.htm
7Maine uses a basis of 2,000 cubic feet of water consumed per calendar year quarter for water rate calculations.
15
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
transmission mam.
Downtown Ashland has an MHI of only $13,638. Water bills were $320 per year, compared with
a threshold of about $191 per year. Ashland received maximum disadvantaged assistance from the
DWSRF, packaged with an additional $25,000 from MRDC, to retrofit the aging storage tank.
Forgiveness of $73,541 of a $98,865 DWSRF loan and a 0 percent interest rate on the remainder of
the loan allowed the system to ensure safe storage of Ashland's drinking water and keep water
bills near the 1.4 percent threshold.
Maryland
Program Description
Maryland plans to use up to 30 percent of its capitalization grant for loan subsidies to
disadvantaged communities, depending on how many applicants qualify for disadvantaged
assistance each year.
To be considered as disadvantaged by the state, a Maryland community must meet at least one of
three criteria. It must be:
a) An area served by a small system (less than 10,000 residents) where the annual average water
system user rate per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU) exceeds the target user rate (TUR) for that
community, or
b) A community (small or large) where the MHI is less than 70 percent of the MHI of non-
metropolitan counties in Maryland, or
c) A water system (small or large) where the average user rate per EDU must increase by at least
20 percent to achieve the financial capacity to repay the loan.
Maryland subsidizes disadvantaged communities based on whether the users of the system can
afford to pay for system improvements. A system's TUR is the threshold beyond which the user
rate burden on a community is considered unaffordable. The TUR is calculated as 1.0 percent to
1.25 percent of the communities' MHI, depending on the level of the MHI. The details of the
formula used to determine a system's TUR are provided in Appendix C.
Subsidies are provided to disadvantaged community systems in a sequential order until the TUR is
achieved. Five levels of assistance are provided:
1) Increasing the term of the loan from 20 to 30 years.
2) Reducing the interest rate of the loan from 45 percent to 30 percent of market rate.8
In the first 2 years of Maryland's program, the standard DWSRF interest rate was 60 percent of the market rate, and
the rate for disadvantaged systems was reduced to 45 percent of the market rate. In December 1999, the standard rate
16
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
3) Providing state grant funds or seeking grants from other agencies.
4) Further reducing the interest rate of the loan.
5) Forgiving all or a portion of the loan debt. (To qualify, census data or a local income survey
must document that the community is impoverished or unable to repay the loan due to existing
levels of indebtedness or other socioeconomic factors or conditions.)
Implementation Experience
Maryland identifies disadvantaged communities when it develops its priority project list. The type
and amount of assistance each of these systems will receive is determined once the application has
been reviewed in detail for financial capacity, prior to loan closing. The eligibility criterion, (a),
(b), or (c) that qualifies a system as disadvantaged is generally used to determine the type of
assistance that the system will receive. Systems that qualify under criterion (a) (Type A systems)
are the only type eligible for principal forgiveness, along with other forms of assistance based on
the five sequential levels of subsidies outlined above. Type B and C systems are offered extended
loan terms and reduced interest rates, as well as assistance through other funding programs.
At the time this report was prepared, loans to two disadvantaged communities, totaling $2.6
million, had closed in Maryland. One loan went to a Type B system and the other went to a Type
C system. One elected to take a 30-year term with an interest rate of 45 percent of the market rate
(reduced from the 1998 standard rate of 60 percent of the market rate), the other a 20-year term,
also with an interest rate of 45 percent of the market rate. The choice of a 20-year loan term meant
that the second system had to raise rates by 13 percent to ensure that it could repay the loan on
time. Though one intent of the program is to help communities avoid rate shock, the balance
between rate increases and extended loan terms is the choice of the system. Two Type A systems
were identified as eligible for principal forgiveness, but had not received final approval from the
state board. Maryland's DWSRF program coordinator stressed that principal forgiveness will be
offered under the DWSRF program only to systems that truly need the assistance to maintain
affordable rates and financial capacity. About 10 other loan applicants for fiscal year 1999-2000
may fall into one of the three disadvantaged system categories, but a final determination cannot be
made until project costs are more certain and the state has undertaken detailed financial analyses.
The DWSRF program works hand-in-hand with Maryland's Drinking Water State Grant program
to provide disadvantaged systems with the most affordable funding package available and to
ensure the long-term health of the Fund. The state-funded Drinking Water State Grant program is
administered by the Department of the Environment. If the DWSRF program does not have
enough funds to responsibly assist a disadvantaged system, the Drinking Water State Grant
program can provide the balance of the project cost. The State Grant program uses the project
priority list developed for the DWSRF program. Although the State Grant program has the
authority to fund any project on the list, grant coordinators usually choose to fund projects
was dropped to 45 percent of the market rate and the disadvantaged community rate was reduced to 30 percent of the
market rate.
17
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
according to the priorities designated for the DWSRF. The cooperation between these two
programs is especially successful because they are administered by the same agency.
Since the disadvantaged community program has yet to offer any principal forgiveness, the effect
on the total amount of DWSRF funds has been negligible. Maryland does not expect its current
disadvantaged community program to have an impact on the long-term health of the Fund.
Although the Department of the Environment projects that about $285,000 will be lost through
principal forgiveness in the current year, a $10 million transfer from the Clean Water SRF program
will more than make up for this loss. The Department uses a standard cash flow model to analyze
the potential impacts of offering principal forgiveness on the DWSRF program. Cash flow
projections are outlined each year in Maryland's capitalization grant applications.
Community Example
Town of Thurmont
With funds from Maryland's DWSRF Disadvantaged Community Assistance program, the Town
of Thurmont (population 4,400) will complete a major water system upgrade. The project involves
upgrades to two pump houses, a new filtration system, new chlorination equipment and basin,
associated piping, electrical work, and a building addition. The project also entails the
construction of a new well house, a 200,000-gallon storage tank, and 2,000 feet of 12-inch water
main connecting to a mountain reservoir. The project cost will be covered by $2.24 million in
DWSRF funds.
A financial analysis determined that the town would have to increase its water rates by more than
20 percent if the loan were offered under the standard terms. Based on the State's criterion (c),
Thurmont could be considered a disadvantaged community and, therefore, qualified for an interest
rate of 45 percent of the market rate (2.41 percent plus 0.5 percent administration fee) and a term
of up to 30 years. The town opted for the low
For More Information
Jag Khuman
MD Department of the Environment
interest rate but a 20-year term. The favorable
interest rate allowed the system to increase its
water rates by a relatively affordable 13 percent.
Households now pay $159 per year for water
Ph • (410s) 631 3981 service and will enjoy the public health benefits of
..'.., „ , t t , a thoroughly upgraded water system. Without the
Ml; ikhumanfglmde.state.md.us ° J r° , .,,
http://www.mde.state.md.us/wqfa/mdex.html low mterest rate ^stonier bills would have risen
New Hampshire
Program Description
New Hampshire plans to use the maximum amount allowable from its capitalization grants to
provide subsidies to disadvantaged communities and systems. The state defines a disadvantaged
system or community as a "community public water system or community that serves residents
whose median household income is less than the statewide median household income."
Furthermore, to qualify for assistance, at least half of the residential units served by the water
18
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
system must be occupied at least 6 months of the year by households whose MHI is less than the
state MHI.
Subsidies are provided in the form of principal forgiveness. Communities identified as
disadvantaged on the project priority list are eligible for forgiveness of 15 to 30 percent of their
loan principal, depending on affordability considerations. To calculate the amount of forgiveness
for which a disadvantaged community is eligible, New Hampshire uses an affordability index that
serves to measure the impact of a project on a disadvantaged community. The index is calculated
by dividing the estimated user rate at project completion by 1 percent of the community or
community system's MHI. However, New Hampshire does not finalize the amount of forgiveness
that a community will receive until the project is complete.
Loan rates and terms under the disadvantaged community program are the same as those for
standard project loans. Interest rates are calculated at the time of execution of the loan agreement
based on the prevailing market rate and the loan repayment period selected by the applicant.
Applicants may choose one of four repayment periods ranging from 5 years at 25 percent of the
market rate to 20 years at 80 percent of the market rate.
Implementation Experience
At the time this report was prepared, New Hampshire was not using a full 30 percent of its Fund
for disadvantaged assistance. The 30 percent cap on the amount of principal forgiveness available
to an individual system could mean that some communities would still be unable to afford much-
needed improvements, leading them to seek another source of public funding. However, 50
percent of the communities that have received commitments are eligible for principal forgiveness.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) works closely with other
grant and funding programs, including the Community Development Block Grants program, the
Rural Development Administration, and the Farmers Homes Administration, to ensure that all
subsidies received through other programs are considered in the calculation of affordability. The
resulting figure is then used to determine the amount of disadvantaged assistance that is provided
to a community.
Using a financial model developed by the state, New Hampshire predicts that the maximum net
long-term effect of the disadvantaged community program over 27 years will be a reduction in
funds totaling $1.9 million plus lost interest. To see this impact, the state ran the model at 0
percent forgiveness and at 30 percent forgiveness (see Exhibit 3.1).
Community Example
Town of Bristol
Prior to improvements, the Town of Bristol was
in violation of NHDES Env-Ws 370, a state law
requiring water systems to maintain at least two
groundwater sources, each with the capacity to
meet or exceed average daily demand. The
For More Information
Rick Skarinka
NH Department of Environmental Services
Phone: (603) 271-2948
E-mail: skarinka@.deswspws.mv.com
http://www.des.state.nh.us/wseb/
19
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
existing secondary well system was incapable of servicing the water system due to deficiencies in
pressure and quantity. The cost of installing a new well to replace the old one was estimated at
$358,000. Bristol is a small community of approximately 2,900 residents, with an MHI
significantly below the statewide level. The town received a DWSRF loan in the amount of
$153,356 and a Community Development Block Grant for $204,644 to complete the project.
Bristol's disadvantaged status also qualified the town for 15 percent forgiveness on the DWSRF
loan, reducing the total loan amount to a more affordable $130,353, which the community will
repay over 5 years.
20
-------
Exhibit 3.1
New Hampshire's Cash Flow Model for FY98 IUP
SRF LOANS TO WATER SYSTEMS WITH 0 PERCENT FORGIVENESS
Program
funds
Federal funds
State match-
20%
Set-asides
Grants (0%)
Total available
5-year loans
10-year loans
15-year loans
20-year loans
FY 1997
loans
13,754,800
2,750,960
(3,121,557)
0
13,384,203
(1,721,735)
(82,500)
(1,370,655)
(10,209,317)
Annual interest rate
5-year loans
10-year loans
15-year loans
20-year loans
1.40%
2.80%
4.20%
4.48%
FY 1998
loans
7,121,300
2,136,390
(2,919,732)
0
6,337,958
(147,749)
(0)
(0)
(6,190,209)
1.32%
2.64%
3.95%
4.22%
FY 1999
loans
7,613,800
1,522,760
(2,832,333)
0
6,304,227
(1,323,888)
(819,550)
(252,169)
(3,908,621)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2000
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
0
7,350,000
(1,543,500)
(955,500)
(294,000)
(4,557,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2001
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
0
7,350,000
(1,543,500)
(955,500)
(294,000)
(4,557,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2002
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
0
7,350,000
(1,543,500)
(955,500)
(294,000)
(4,557,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2003
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
0
7,350,000
(1,543,500)
(955,500)
(294,000)
(4,557,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
Total of payments back to SRF over 27-year period
Totals
56,489,900
12,010,110
(13,073,622)
0
55,426,388
(9,367,372)
(4,724,050)
(2,798,824)
(38,536,147)
76,058,312
SRF LOANS TO WATER SYSTEMS WITH 30 PERCENT FORGIVENESS
Program
funds
Federal funds
State match-
20%
Set-asides
Grants (30%)
Total available
5-year loans
10-year loans
15-year loans
20-year loans
FY 1997
loans
13,754,800
2,750,960
(3,121,557)
(4,015,260)
9,368,943
(1,967,478)
(1,217,963)
(374,758)
(5,808,745)
Annual interest rate
5-year loans
10-year loans
15-year loans
20-year loans
1.40%
2.80%
4.20%
4.48%
FY 1998
loans
7,121,300
2,136,390
(2,919,732)
(1,901,387)
4,436,571
(931,680)
(576,754)
(177,463)
(2,750,674)
1.32%
2.64%
3.95%
4.22%
FY 1999
loans
7,613,800
1,522,760
(2,832,333)
(1,891,268)
4,412,959
(926,721)
(573,685)
(176,518)
(2,736,035)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2000
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
(2,100,000)
5,250,000
(1,102,500)
(682,500)
(210,000)
(3,255,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2001
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
(2,100,000)
5,250,000
(1,102,500)
(682,500)
(210,000)
(3,255,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2002
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
(2,100,000)
5,250,000
(1,102,500)
(682,500)
(210,000)
(3,255,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
FY2003
loans
7,000,000
1,400,000
(1,050,000)
(2,100,000)
5,250,000
(1,102,500)
(682,500)
(210,000)
(3,255,000)
1.19%
2.38%
3.56%
3.80%
Total of payments back to SRF over 27-year period
Totals
56,489,900
12,010,110
(13,073,622)
(16,207,915)
39,218,473
(8,235,879)
(5,098,402)
(1,568,739)
(24,315,454)
52,472,317
21
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
New York
Program Description
In federal fiscal years 1998, 1999, and 2000, New York allocated 30 percent of its capitalization
grant amounting to over $14 million annually to providing loan subsidies to disadvantaged
communities. The state has proposed to allocate the same amount in FY 01. A disadvantaged
community is defined as "one in which the public water system service area meets established
affordability criteria."
All drinking water projects are first reviewed to determine eligibility for funding and scored based
on the state's priority ranking system.9 Communities whose drinking water projects score above
the funding line may then be evaluated for financial hardship; a separate financial hardship
application is required. The hardship application gathers information on the following:
a Existing population of the project service area.
a Number of equivalent dwelling units (EDUs) to be served, including commercial,
institutional and industrial users, and the basis on which they were calculated.
a Existing annual debt for the system.
a Existing annual operation and maintenance (O&M) costs.
a Estimated annual O&M costs based upon completion of the project.
a Annual financial reports, audited if available, for the previous 3 years.
a An analysis of project alternatives for cost effectiveness.
a Estimated project costs.
a Any other funding sources for the project, including detail on whether such funding is a
grant or a loan, and if a loan, its interest rate, term, and annual debt payment.
New York determines hardship by comparing the projected service charge (PSC) and the target
service charge (TSC) for a typical household. Financial assistance beyond the regular subsidized
interest rate is determined based on affordability criteria. Projects eligible for hardship assistance
are ranked in priority order based on their project priority ranking scores. Eligibility for hardship
assistance is contingent on the satisfaction of the following requirements:
n The project must be listed on the Project Readiness List or the Multi-Year List with an IUP
score greater than or equal to that of the project with the lowest score (excluding bonus
points) eligible to be funded (funding line) from the current Project Readiness List.
See Prioritizing Drinking Water Needs: A Compilation of State Priority Systems for the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund Program, http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf/priority.html
22
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
n Hardship assistance is available only for drinking water projects for which the notice for
construction to proceed was issued on or after April 1, 1997. Debt issued between July 1,
1993 and March 31, 1997 is eligible for refinancing only through standard DWSRF loans.
n Total project costs may not exceed $10 million, and projects may not be segmented in
order to qualify for hardship assistance.
n Principal forgiveness will not be made available to system service areas with an MHI
greater than the statewide average MHI ($32,965 at the time this report was prepared).
n Only CWSs are eligible for hardship assistance.
n Privately owned CWSs are eligible only if regulated by the Public Service Commission.
Hardship assistance may include a 30-year, reduced interest rate loan (as low as 0 percent) to bring
the PSC down to the TSC level.10 If an interest-free loan does not provide sufficient funding to
reach the TSC, up to $2 million or 75 percent of the eligible project cost may be awarded in
principal forgiveness to make up the difference. If a system is eligible for principal forgiveness,
the loan portion is always distributed first. No fees are charged on assistance to disadvantaged
communities.
Implementation Experience
As of the writing of this report, New York had closed 47 hardship assistance agreements out of a
total of 126 DWSRF funding agreements. Hardship or disadvantaged assistance represented
approximately one-fifth of total obligated funds. Forty-two of the recipients were eligible for
principal forgiveness, and five received straight loans. The average interest rate on loans to
qualifying communities ranged from 3.2 to 3.3 percent.
All calculations for requested funding amounts are based on projections. A system that
underestimates the amount needed may apply for an increase, however, New York will
accommodate such increases in the form of a loan only. To further promote accuracy in estimates,
the loan portion of a DWSRF award is always distributed first. A system that overestimates its
need will lose part of the amount that otherwise would have been forgiven.
New York encourages DWSRF program applicants to coordinate funding with other agencies,
such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (RD) Office and the Department
of Housing and Urban Development. Systems will receive additional priority ranking points for
co-funding their projects. Furthermore, when determining the percentage of principal forgiveness
for which an applicant is eligible, funding from other sources does not factor into the $2 million/75
percent cap. State-level coordination with other programs is done only on a project-by-project
basis, to ensure that the combined funding does not meet or exceed 100 percent of project costs. In
addition, New York used funds from the Governor's 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act to
10 The TSC is determined by calculating a percentage of the MHI. The PSC is the projected annual cost of the project
per EDU including existing debt service, projected debt service, and project O&M costs.
23
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
provide direct assistance (i.e., grants) for projects in disadvantaged communities. The Clean
Water/Clean Air Bond Act provided $355 million in funding, of which $90 million was in grants,
to assist drinking water systems. All $90 million was obligated prior to the state's allotment of
federal funds for loan subsidies.
New York leverages DWSRF funds 3 to 1. Consequently, the Fund is growing more rapidly than
in states that do not leverage. New York expects long-term impacts on the Fund to be minimal as
a result of its leveraging structure, however, no detailed financial analyses had been conducted.
Community Example
Village of Unionville
The water system serving the Village of Unionville was antiquated, and portions of the system
were in dire need of replacement. Village officials began working with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's RD Office to obtain financial assistance for the project. When it became apparent
that the RD grant would be insufficient to meet total project costs, the Village turned to the New
York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and the DWSRF program. The DWSRF
co-funded the project and the Village
also received a $823,379 grant from RD
toward the project's total cost of nearly
For More Information
Michael E. Burke, P.E.
New York State Department of Health
Phone:(518)402-7650
E-mail: meb01@health.state.ny.us thereby greatly reducing the risk of
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/environ/water.htm
$1.8 million. The contributions of
federal and state resources provided the
capital needed to replace the old mains
and, install new pumps and a well, and
microbial contamination.
Oregon
Program Description
Oregon defines a disadvantaged community as "a publicly owned water system whose average
drinking water user rate exceeds 1.75% of the (most up-to-date and accurate) median household
income for the area (city or county) in which the water system resides." Up to 15 percent of each
capitalization grant will be made available to qualifying applicants in the form of principal
forgiveness.
The terms of a standard DWSRF loan are 20 years at an interest rate set quarterly at 80 percent of
the "State and Local Bonds Rate" for the last week of the preceding quarter as listed in the Federal
Reserve Statistical Release H.I5 (519). Disadvantaged communities receive loans at 1 percent
interest, with terms extending up to 30 years. Additionally, the lesser of $250,000, 25 percent of
the total DWSRF loan amount, 33 percent of the total project funding, or an amount that does not
reduce water rates below 1.75 percent of the MHI for the water system may be distributed to
eligible applicants in the form of principal forgiveness for design or construction projects.
Planning projects are limited to the lesser of $20,000 or 33 percent of the total DWSRF loan
24
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
amount. Private systems are eligible for disadvantaged assistance only if they are regulated by the
Oregon Public Utility Commission and can show that they could not obtain private funding.
Implementation Experience
Oregon recently made changes to its disadvantaged assistance program based on lessons learned in
the initial years of DWSRF program implementation. Based on recommendations from the state's
Drinking Water Advisory Committee, Oregon amended the definition of a disadvantaged
community and the types of assistance offered to eligible applicants. The old definition of a
disadvantaged community was "one whose average water cost for a residential customer in the
service area of the water system is at least the state average for like systems (which have recently
undergone a construction project) after the proposed project improvements are completed and
currently meets at least two of the criteria listed below.
n The debt for CWSs that operate water systems only is at least $250 per capita or for both
water and wastewater systems, the debt is at least $500 per capita.
n The water system includes at least 51 percent low and moderate income persons as defined
by the most recent census data or approved local survey.
n The residents of the CWS have documented financial burden due to a recent (within past 2
years) national or state disaster. Documentation of unreimbursable expenses—a minimum
of $25 per capita—is also required."
Members of the Drinking Water Advisory Committee felt that a definition based on a formula that
compared water rates to MHI would be a truer test of affordability.
The other major change that Oregon made was the addition of principal forgiveness. The state
found that some systems really needed principal forgiveness in order to afford the necessary
improvements to bring them into compliance. Furthermore, the state recognized that the Fund
would continue to grow, albeit at a slower rate, even if some principal was forgiven.
As of 1999, about half of the loans issued in Oregon went to disadvantaged communities. These
loans comprised 57 percent of the total funding issued under the state's DWSRF program. Oregon
has not determined exactly what the long-term impacts of this assistance will be on the Fund,
however, the state does not anticipate any problems with the Fund continuing to revolve into the
future.
Oregon coordinates the DWSRF program with other loan programs to maximize assistance to
disadvantaged communities. A financing package may include a direct loan from the DWSRF and
loans or grants from other department programs. State officials indicated that they work with other
state and federal funders and communities to identify the appropriate source or sources of funding.
The four programs that compose the state's funding effort are:
n DWSRF Program
25
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
n Special Public Works Fund
n Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
n Water/Wastewater Financing Program
In addition, the state operates a Bond Bank for the Special Public Works Fund and the
Water/Wastewater Financing Program. An overview of the four major funding programs is
provided in Exhibit 3.2. Program details are provided in Appendix C.
Oregon balances loans to disadvantaged communities and loans for other eligible projects to
maximize the DWSRF and still assist financially distressed communities in need of system
improvements.
Community Example
CityofCarlton
The City of Carlton is a beneficiary of the highly coordinated funding programs for drinking water
systems in Oregon. The Oregon State Health Division issued a Notice of Violation and Remedial
Order to Carlton because of the drinking water system's inability to treat water in conformance
with the requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule. The order required the city to provide
filtration and disinfection to meet the requirements of the rule. To achieve compliance and meet
current demands, Carlton received a $2.7 million funding package to design and construct a new
treatment plant, chlorine contact facilities, and a treated water storage reservoir, as well as to
replace 9,400 feet of transmission main.
A small, impoverished community, Carlton is home to approximately 1,860 people, nearly 55
percent of whom have a low or moderate income. Funding the needed improvements would have
raised the city's debt per capita to approximately $1,165, far above the disadvantaged community
threshold at the time of $500.11 Furthermore,
Carlton's Water System Master Plan identified a
larger project to accommodate future growth,
increasing the chances of the city incurring
additional debt and associated rate increases in the
near future. Taking these and other factors into
consideration, Carlton was awarded a $1,988,625
DWSRF loan at 1 percent interest and a $660,000
grant through the Water/Wastewater Financing
Program. A detailed staff report on the City of
Carlton is provided in Appendix C.
For More Information
Betty Pongracz
Oregon Economic Development Department
Phone: (503) 986-0134
E-mail: Bettv.Pongraczfglstate.or.us
http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/dwp/srlf.htm
Carlton received its funding prior to the revisions to the disadvantaged assistance program.
26
-------
Exhibit 3.2
Oregon's Key Funding Programs: Overview
Program
Purpose
Funding
Safe Drinking
Water
Revolving
Loan Fund
(DWSRF)
To provide funding to drinking water systems to comply with the
SDWA, i.e., to protect the public health. It is intended to help
community and nonprofit, non-community drinking water
systems plan, design, and construct drinking water projects and
to further public health protection goals.
The loan interest rate is set quarterly at 80 percent of the "State and Local Bonds
Rate" for the last week of the preceding quarter. For disadvantaged
communities, the interest rate is 1 percent. The loan term is no longer than 20
years. However, for disadvantaged communities, the loan term may be as long
as 30 years. No loan can exceed the useful life of the facility being built.
Principal forgiveness of up to $250,000 is available to disadvantaged
communities if needed.
Community
Development
Block Grants
(CDBG)
The national objective of the program is the development of
viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a
suitable living environment and expanding economic
opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate
income. Oregon's objectives include:
n Improving the availability and adequacy of public facilities
and infrastructure.
n Conserving the existing housing supply and improving
housing conditions.
n Increasing the supply of housing affordable to low- and
moderate-income persons.
D Increasing business and employment opportunities.
Oregon receives about $15 million in federal funds annually to grant to non-
entitlement cities and counties for eligible community development projects.
The state awards roughly 37 percent of available funds to community facilities,
20 percent to housing rehabilitation, 38 percent to water and sewer projects, and
5 percent to public works for new housing.
Water/
Wastewater
Financing
Program
To provide financing for the construction of public infrastructure
needed to ensure compliance with the SDWA and the CWA. It is
intended to assist local governments, which have been hard hit
with state and federal mandates for public drinking water systems
and wastewater systems.
Grant funds are available based upon economic need of the municipality. Cities
can obtain a grant if their rates are above average and a loan if they have
adequate security to repay. The maximum loan term is 25 years, but loans are
generally made for 20-year terms. The maximum loan financed with state funds
is $500,000. The maximum loan financed with state revenue bonds (Oregon
Bond Bank) is $10,000,000. Loans are generally repaid with utility revenues,
general funds or voter-approved bond issues. The maximum grant amount is
$500,000. The grant/loan amounts are determined by a financial analysis based
on demonstrated need and the applicant's ability or inability to afford additional
loans.
Special Public
Works Fund
To provide loans and grants to construct public infrastructure to
support industrial/manufacturing and eligible commercial
(activity that is marketed nationally or internationally and attracts
business from outside Oregon) development. End result is to
create jobs, especially family-wage jobs. Municipalities are
eligible if they have a firm business commitment or if they want
to add capacity to municipal systems to attract new businesses.
The program funds water, sewer, roads, airports, and other
infrastructure projects.
Grant funds are available based upon economic need of the municipality. Cities
can get a grant if their rates are above average and a loan if they have adequate
security to repay. The maximum loan term is 25 years. (The norm is 20 years.)
The grant/loan amounts are determined by a financial analysis based on a
demonstrated need and the applicant's ability or inability to afford additional
loans (same as water/wastewater program). Loans are generally repaid with
utility revenues, local improvement districts, general funds or voter-approved
bond issues. Funds of up to $250,000 per project may be awarded to distressed
communities without a firm business commitment.
Source: Oregon Economic and Community Development Department.
27
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
South Carolina
Program Description
South Carolina defines disadvantaged systems as public water systems that meet criteria based
on the MHI of the water system's service area and the level of the current or proposed user
charge. Disadvantaged systems are subdivided into two levels. A Level 1 Disadvantaged
Community System must have a service area MHI less than the state MHI ($26,256). Level 2
Disadvantaged Community Systems must first meet the criterion for Level 1 systems. In
addition, the proposed project must necessitate a rate increase that would result in a user charge
that is higher than the target user charge. The target user charge is defined as the annual
residential user charge for water, based on 6,000 gallons per month, equal to at least 1.4 percent
of the applicant's MHI.
Level 1 Disadvantaged Community Systems are eligible for loan extensions from 20 to 30 years
at the standard interest rate. Level 2 Disadvantaged Community Systems are first given loan
term extensions up to 30 years. If, after the extension, user charges still exceed the target level,
the interest rate is reduced incrementally, to a minimum of 0 percent, until the target level is
achieved. If a project is still considered unaffordable after the maximum available interest rate
subsidy, assistance is provided in locating other potential funding sources.
Private for-profit systems are not eligible under the South Carolina DWSRF program. Nonprofit
private corporations established under Title 33, Chap. 35 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina
are eligible.
Implementation Experience
During the first 2 years of the program, the criteria for Level 1 Disadvantaged Community
Systems were quite strict. Unless the system's service area had an MHI of less than 80 percent
of the State MHI, the system had to be located in a county with a relatively high unemployment
rate, or the current or proposed annual user charge had to exceed 1.25 percent of the applicant's
MHI. South Carolina loosened the eligibility requirements for the third year because systems
that the state believed to need special assistance were not falling into the eligibility categories.
At the time this report was prepared, no loans had been given to disadvantaged systems in South
Carolina. However, two applicants under consideration were likely to be offered 30-year loan
terms or reduced interest rates. The absence of loans to disadvantaged systems stems mainly
from a lack of demand for loans in comparison to grants. Since South Carolina's disadvantaged
system program does not offer principal forgiveness, other funding options, such as grants from
the Farmers' Home Administration, Community Development Block Grants, and grants
authorized by the State legislature, have been more attractive to disadvantaged communities.
Furthermore, the DWSRF application process can seem unnecessarily cumbersome to small
systems applying for only small amounts of money. Several systems have qualified for special
assistance under the DWSRF disadvantaged program, but chose to accept funds from alternative
sources instead.
28
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
For More Information
David Price
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control
Phone: (803) 898-3993
E-mail: pricedc@.columb32.dhec.state.se.us
http://www.state.sc.us/dhec/eqc/water/html/grants.
html#SRF
For systems that choose to work with the
disadvantaged assistance program, South
Carolina will aid in finding other funding
sources to complement the funds available
from the DWSRF program. DWSRF loans
may be packaged with state drinking water
grants (administered by the Budget Control
Board) and Community Development Block
Grants.
Because South Carolina does not offer principal forgiveness and loan amounts to disadvantaged
systems are likely to be small, administrators believe that the long-term impacts of disadvantaged
community assistance on the Fund will be negligible. As the state begins providing loans to
disadvantaged systems, staff will enter data into the EPA's State Revolving Fund (SRF) Planning
Model io make more detailed projections.
Washington
Program Description
Washington defines a disadvantaged community as one whose MHI falls below 80 percent of the
county's MHI. To maintain the long-term integrity of the program, Washington does not offer
principal forgiveness as a form of loan subsidy. The standard DWSRF loan is for a 20-year term
at a fixed rate of 3.5 percent. Disadvantaged communities that have an MHI at or below 80
percent of the county MHI receive loans at a reduced interest rate of 2.5 percent. Disadvantaged
communities at or below 50 percent of the county MHI are offered interest-free loans and may
request a 30-year payback period.
Washington also has a "Distressed County" designation based on unemployment history.
Although Washington considers the distressed county designation to be distinct from that of
disadvantaged communities, a disadvantaged community with an MHI greater than 50 percent of
the county MHI and a distressed county are eligible for the same assistance: a reduced interest
rate of 2.5 percent. An economically distressed county is one with a 3-year history of
unemployment 20 percent greater than the statewide average. Unemployment data used to make
determinations are collected annually by the Washington State Employment Security
Department. For 1999 DWSRF applications, 23 of the 39 counties in the state (predominantly
rural counties) were on the "Distressed Counties" list. The list is updated annually.
Implementation Experience
Since the inception of the DWSRF program, Washington has provided $23.8 million in loans to
48 systems. Nineteen percent of this amount has gone to nine disadvantaged communities.
29
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
Interest rates ranged from 3 to 4 percent, as compared to 4 to 5 percent12 for most other
applicants. None of the systems elected a 30-year repayment period. A number of systems in
Washington also have qualified for special assistance under the distressed county criteria. The
State has generally been satisfied with the number of systems qualifying for special loan terms.
Washington focuses its program on small, privately owned systems, which tend to have the most
difficulty achieving compliance and do not have access to many of the funding sources available
to larger, municipally owned systems. After establishing the disadvantaged communities
assistance program, the state found that many of these small, private systems did not have the
resources to conduct accurate income surveys to prove that they should be considered
disadvantaged. Consequently, the Public Works Board now conducts income surveys for
potential loan recipients who are likely to qualify as disadvantaged communities. Since the
systems are quite small, and the one-page surveys are simply mailed to customers, the Board has
been able to carry out this task without additional funding. (See Appendix C for a copy of
Washington's income survey and a description of the survey process.)
Since Washington does not plan to offer principal forgiveness, the state has not undertaken a
detailed analysis of the potential impact of disadvantaged community assistance on the long-term
health of the Fund. Reduced interest rates and extended loan terms are unlikely to decrease the
amount of money available to revolve.
To put together funding packages for disadvantaged systems, the DWSRF program has worked
with several other lending agencies that focus on community development. There is also a vast
number of programs indirectly coordinated with the DWSRF program through Washington's
Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council. This organization has produced a manual and
held workshops to publicize information concerning the various grant and loan programs for
community needs, including drinking water system improvements.
Community Examples
Alderbrook Estates Mobile Home Park
Alderbrook Estates, a private mobile home park on the outskirts of Olympia, received a
$150,266 DWSRF loan to complete various water system improvements. A survey conducted
by Washington's Public Works Board indicated that the park's MFfl was less than half the
county's MHI, qualifying the system for a 3-percent interest rate on the loan (2 percent less than
the basic rate offered to regular loan applicants at that time). The loan includes a 3-percent loan
fee and will be repaid over 20 years. The owner of Alderbrook Estates provided a 10-percent
local match, which was required during the first and second years of the DWSRF program, but
was not required for the third year.
A preliminary proposal consisted of upgrading source water treatment and replacing the aging,
undersized distribution network. Through consultation with the DOH Southwest Regional
Office and the nearby city of Tumwater, a decision was made to abandon the system's two wells
12 During the first 2 years of the DWSRF program, the interest rates offered to disadvantaged communities were 1 to
3 percent lower than the basic interest rate, depending on the MHI of the customer population and the term of
repayment. The basic rate was not fixed and ranged between 4 and 5 percent in 1997 and 1998.
30
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
and connect to Tumwater's municipal system. The connection and the replacement of deficient
distribution lines will relieve the iron and manganese problems. Installing a master meter with
backflow prevention and capping existing wells upon completion of the project also will help
ensure the safety of Tumwater's drinking water. Meters installed on each of the 60 units will
help the system track individual water use and encourage water conservation. Additional
benefits of the project include repaired asphalt, re-coating of streets throughout the park, and an
additional fire hydrant.
City of South Bend
The City of South Bend water system received a DWSRF loan of $1 million and an additional
$1.7 million from other funding sources to construct a new membrane treatment facility. The
MHI of South Bend was less than 80 percent of the statewide MHI, which made the system
eligible for an interest rate of 4 percent on its DWSRF loan, reduced from the 1998 standard rate
of 4.35 percent. The loan will be repaid over a 20-year period. The project includes interior
process piping, site piping modifications, finished water pumps, water treatment plant controls
and telemetry, a 3-Phase/480 volt electrical service, stand-by generator, safety equipment, and a
new treatment plant building. The project will protect South Bend against contaminants entering
the drinking water system and enable the system to meet existing disinfection requirements with
no changes to its current distribution configuration.13
City of Stanwood
The DWSRF program and the City of Stanwood joined forces to fund construction of a new well
house, install 500 gallons-per-minute pumping equipment (plus all electrical and telemetering
equipment necessary for operations), and lay approximately 600 feet of ductile iron pipe. A
DWSRF loan for $265,458 was issued to the community, and $29,594 from other sources
covered the remainder of the project cost. Since the Stanwood service population's MHI was
less than 80 percent of state MHI, the interest rate was reduced to 3 percent from the 1998
standard interest rate of 4.35 percent. Stanwood
will repay the loan over a 10-year period. The
project will replace the existing well, which is
perforated, does not have a seal, and is less than
25 feet from a creek in a pasture. As a result of
the project, Stanwood will gain a potable drinking
water source, eliminate existing wellhead
problems, and greatly reduce the risk of
contamination from outside sources.14
For More Information
John LaRocque
Washington State Public Works Board
Phone: (360) 586-2523
E-mail: JohnLR@.cted.wa. gov
http: //www. doh. wa. gov/ehp/dw/Our_Main_
Pages/DWSRF.htm
Washington State Department of Health. The Water Tap. February 1999.
Ibid.
31
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
4. Conclusion
States that seek to target assistance to communities in need must develop program eligibility
criteria based on affordability. These criteria may, in turn, be used to calibrate the level of
assistance provided. In other words, an indicator of distress or disadvantage may be used as an
initial screen for eligibility and to determine the type or level of assistance. A target, or
threshold, MHI may be established. MHI is the most frequently used indicator, but a variety of
other indicators also are available to decisionmakers.
As shown in Exhibit 4.1, nearly all of the states reviewed in this report use MHI and some
affordability threshold to determine eligibility for disadvantaged assistance. Maryland also uses
rate shock as an eligibility criterion, and Washington considers unemployment characteristics.
While many states will accept income surveys in place of census data to determine eligibility for
disadvantaged assistance, communities often find that the potential benefits of conducting a
survey do not justify the cost. To ensure that all communities are evaluated with accurate and
current data, Washington's Public Works Board, which runs the DWSRF program jointly with
the Department of Health, conducts income surveys. All communities in which the MHI is
expected to be less than 50 percent of the state MHI are surveyed.
The type and level of assistance provided to disadvantaged systems generally takes one of four
forms (see Exhibit 4.2):
n Longer loan term. Extending the loan term can greatly reduce individual principal and
interest payments. The total amount of interest paid, however, will be greater. Nearly all
of the states studied offer loan terms of up to 30 years. New Hampshire is unique in that
the terms for disadvantaged communities are the same as those for standard loan
recipients.
n Low-interest loan. The actual interest rate may be pegged or graduated based on the level
of need (the greater the level of distress, the lower the interest rate). The difference
between the interest rate and the cost of capital is subsidized. All states reviewed except
New Hampshire and Florida offer reduced interest rates to disadvantaged communities.
n No-interest loan. A no-interest loan requires only the repayment of principal. The cost
of capital is entirely subsidized.
n Forgiveness of principal. Part of a loan's principal balance can be entirely forgiven,
which has the effect of providing a grant through loan subsidy mechanisms. South
Carolina and Washington do not offer any principal forgiveness. Maryland is the only
state reviewed in this report that intends to offer 100-percent principal forgiveness.
The various types of assistance are often combined. For example, in most of the states reviewed
in this report, principal forgiveness may be combined with a low-interest loan.
32
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
In addition to the DWSRF program, a number of other state and federal funding programs are
available to water systems, particularly rural water systems. EPA's Environmental Financial
Advisory Board and the Environmental Finance Center Network have published a document
entitled A Guidebook of Financial Tools: Paying for Sustainable Environmental Systems, which
contains detailed information about potential funding sources.15 A majority of these programs
are intended to assist low-income or disadvantaged rural communities. The states also have
grant and loan programs that can be used in addition to or in lieu of DWSRF program funds.
The DWSRF programs of most states in this report are coordinated closely with other funding
programs. Some states have one particular program that they typically package funds with, such
as Maryland's State Drinking Water Grants program and the Maine Rural Development Council,
but Oregon has several. Oregon's DWSRF program is carefully coordinated with three other
programs to maximize the amount of assistance available to disadvantaged communities. A
federal program that states commonly work with is the Department of Housing and Urban
Development's Community Development Block Grants program.
Most of the states reviewed did not have a well-established procedure for analyzing long-term
impacts on the Fund, but states are taking other measures to ensure the fund's long-term health.
For example, Florida ties its disadvantaged program to federal capitalization of the DWSRF
program, currently scheduled to occur through fiscal year 2003. When capitalization ends, so
will Florida's offer of disadvantaged assistance. Maryland is protecting the future of its Fund by
transferring the maximum allowable amount from the CWSRF to the DWSRF program.
Meanwhile, South Carolina and Washington are avoiding net losses to their Funds by not
offering principal forgiveness at all. A revised version of EPA's SRF Planning Model will be
made available to States later this year. This model will assist States in predicting the impact of
a disadvantaged community program and other program decisions regarding the long-term
functioning of revolving funds.
A review of case studies indicates that disadvantaged community funding can make a substantial
difference in terms of improving compliance, getting needed projects underway, and maintaining
affordable water service. Many solutions require a comprehensive, integrated, and long-term
approach. Some of the most successful illustrations show how different types of funding
(including grants and loans) can be provided collaboratively with different agency programs.
As experience with disadvantaged community assistance under the DWSRF grows, more
information will become available about methods, experiences, and results. Information on how
several additional states handle affordability and disadvantaged assistance is provided in
Appendix B of this document. Additional information about the DWSRF program in general,
can be found on EPA's DWSRF program Web site.16
15 A Guidebook of Financial Tools: Paying for Sustainable Environmental Systems is available online at
http://www.epa.gov/efinpage/guidbk98/index.htm
16 The DWSRF program Web site is located at http://www. epa. gov/safewater/dwsrf.html.
33
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 4.1
Eligibility Criteria for Disadvantaged Assistance
State
Florida
Maine
Maryland
New
Hampshire
New York
MHI (project area)
< state MHI
< state nonmetro
MHI ($28,227)
(yr-round residential
customers)
< 70% state
nonmetro MHI;
OR...
< state MHI
For principal
forgiveness:
< state MHI
($32,965)
Affordability17
User rates are used to determine
the level of assistance, but not as
an eligibility requirement.
. . . User rate > TUR and a small
system (< 10,000);
OR
System average user rate will have
to increase by > 20% to enable
repayment.
User rates are used to determine
the level of assistance, but not as
an eligibility requirement.
(Amount of assistance is calculated
at conclusion of the project by
dividing the resulting user rate by
1% of project area MHI).
Projected user rate > TUR
Affordable Rate Determination
Community MHI
$22,582-$28,227
< $22,581
< 70% nonmetro.
state MHI
>70%<130%
nonmetro. state MHI
> 130% nonmetro.
state MHI
$0 - 24,725
$24,726 - 39,557
> $39,558
Target User Rate
(TUR)18
1.6% of MHI
1.4% of MHI
1% of MHI
1%- 1.25% of
MHI (sliding
scale)
1.25% of MHI
50% of residences served by the
system must be occupied at least 6
months of the year by a population
meeting the criterion.
1) Must be a CWS
2) Separate hardship application
required
3) Private systems eligible only if
regulated by the Public Service
Commission
4) Maximum project cost eligible for
hardship assistance = $10 million
17 In some states, the criteria listed in the affordability column are used to determine a system's eligibility for the Disadvantaged Community Assistance program;
in others these criteria are used to determine the type and amount of loan subsidies.
18 The term "Target User Rate" will be used throughout this table to represent a state's concept of an affordable rate, despite the varying terms used by the states.
34
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 4.1 Continued
State
Oregon
South
Carolina
Washington
MHI (project area)
Level I:
< state MHI
($26,256)
Level II
< state MHI , AND
< 80% county MHI,
OR
< 50% county MHI,
OR...
Note: MHI data
must be based on
5 1 % of households
in system's service
area.
Affordability19
Average user rate > TUR
Level II:
. . . Projected user rate > TUR
Affordable Rate Determination
Community MHI
Target User Rate
(TUR)20
1.75% of MHI
1.40% of MHI
Other Criteria
Private systems are eligible only if
regulated by the Public Utility
Commission
Project sponsor must be a county,
municipality, special purpose district,
or non-profit corporation established
under Title 33, Chap. 35 of SC code
. . . Located in a county with a three-year
history of unemployment greater than
the statewide average (a "Distressed
County").
19 In some states, the criteria listed in the affordability column are used to determine a system's eligibility for the Disadvantaged Community Assistance program;
in others these criteria are used to determine the type and amount of loan subsidies.
20 The term "Target User Rate" will be used throughout this table to represent a state's concept of an affordable rate, despite the varying terms used by the states.
35
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 4.2
Types of Assistance Provided
State
Interest Rate
Loan Term
Principal Forgiveness
Other Forms of Assistance
Florida
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years.
Principal forgiveness totaling 65% or 85% of the estimated
post-allowance project costs may be awarded for construction
projects for which a public health risk or compliance priority is
assigned.
Principal forgiveness may be provided to rate-based CWSs for
pre-construction activities at 85% of allowances as long as the
community MHI is less than the statewide average and a public
health risk component is associated with the project.
Maine
Reduced to a minimum of 0%
for the loan amount that is not
covered by principal
forgiveness. (Standard
DWSRF rate is 2% below the
market rate.)
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years21
Subsidies, in the form of principal forgiveness, are available to
CWSs at a maximum level of 75% of the requested loan
amount.
After all qualifying CWS projects have been financed, non-
profit, NCWSs may receive a maximum of 50% principal
forgiveness if there are sufficient funds.
The Loan Origination and
Loan Servicing Fees will be
waived for systems that
qualify to receive principal
forgiveness.
Maryland
Reduced from 45% of market
rate to 30% of the market rate,
or lower if necessary to reach
the TUR. (Only if extending
the loan term does not allow
system to achieve the TUR)
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years.
Principal forgiveness for all or a portion of the loan debt may
be available if none of the other types of financial assistance
allow the system to achieve the TUR.
Assistance will be provided in
locating additional funding.
New Hampshire
Subsidies for infrastructure projects, in the form of principal
forgiveness, are available at 15% to 30% of the total loan
amount to help the system achieve the TUR.22
Purchase of land or conservation easements by disadvantaged community systems using set-aside funds can only be accomplished with a loan for a maximum term of 20 years at
an interest rate at or below the Standard Project Rate, but no lower than 0 percent.
22Subsidies from the DWSRF disadvantaged community assistance program will reflect the contribution from other sources of assistance, resulting in a subsidy that does not
exceed the amount that the system would be eligible for under this program alone. No principal forgiveness is offered for source water protection activities.
36
-------
USEPA
Disadvantaged Communities
Exhibit 4.2 Continued
State
Interest Rate
Loan Term Principal Forgiveness
Other Forms of Assistance
New York
Reduced to a minimum of 0%
to allow the system to reach
the target user rate (TUR).
(CWSs only. Recipients must
demonstrate ability to repay)
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years.
Up to $2 million or 75% of the eligible project cost, whichever
is less, may be forgiven to help the system achieve the TUR
an interest-free loan does not provide sufficient funding.
if
All fees waived for
disadvantaged communities
Oregon
Reduced to 1%. (In the case
of private systems, only those
regulated by the Oregon Public
Utility Commission are
eligible for this interest rate.)
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years.
Design and/or construction projects: the lesser of $250,000,
25% of the total DWSRF loan amount, 33% of the total project
funding, or an amount that does not reduce water rates below
1.75% of the MHI for the water system service area. Planning
projects are limited to the lesser of $20,000 or 33% of the total
DWSRF loan amount.
The state works with
applicants to determine the
most appropriate source(s) of
funding — 4 separate funding
programs are coordinated by
one state agency.
South Carolina
Reduced from the standard
interest rate for the fiscal year
to a minimum of 0% to reach
the TUR. (Only if an
applicant qualifies as a Level 2
Disadvantaged Community
System, and extending the
loan term does not allow the
system to achieve the TUR)
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years. (Levels 1
and 2)
Assistance will be provided in
locating additional funding.
(Level 2)
Washington
Reduced from 3.5% to 2.5% or
0%, depending on MHI of
applicant's service area.
Extended to a
maximum of 30
years. (Only for
systems meeting
the criterion for
0% interest
rates.)
Principal forgiveness will not be made available to systems with an MHI greater than statewide average of $32,965.
37
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
This page intentionally left blank.
38
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
5. Resources
Coulton, CJ. and S. Pandey. "Geographic Concentration of Poverty and Risk to Children in
Urban Neighborhoods," American Behavioral Scientist. Vol. 35, Issue 3 (Jan/Feb 1992):
238-258.
Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Poverty Areas (June
1995, http://www.census.gov/socdemo/www/povarea.html).
Fisher, Gordon M. "The Development and History of the Poverty Thresholds," Social Security
Bulletin 55, no. 4 (Winter 1992): 3-14.
Greene, R. "Poverty Concentration Measures and the Urban Underclass," Economic Geography.
Vol. 67, Issue 3 (July 1991): 240-253.
Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/).
Littman, M.S. "Poverty Areas and the 'Underclass:' Untangling the Web," Monthly Labor
Review. Vol. 114, Issue 3 (March 1991): 19-33.
"Measuring Poverty - A New Approach," Joint Center for Poverty Research Policy Briefs, Vol.
1, No. 6, Northwestern University/University of Chicago,
(http://www.jcpr.org/policybriefs/vol I_num6.html).
Ravallion, Martin, "Issues in Measuring and Modeling Poverty," Economic Journal. Vol. 106,
Issue 438 (September 1996): 1328-1343.
U.S. Census Bureau, Poverty in the United States, 1998, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of
Commerce, September 1999, (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/povty98.html).
U.S. Census Bureau, March 1999 Current Population Survey,
(http://www.census.gov/hhes/povertv/povertv98/table6.html).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The 1999 HHSPoverty Guidelines.
(http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/99poverty.htm).
U.S. EPA A Guidebook of Financial Tools: Paying for Sustainable Environmental Systems.
April 1999, (http://www.epa.gov/efmpage/guidbk98/index.htm).
U.S. EPA, Final Guidance for Consideration of Environmental Justice in Clean Air Act, 309
Reviews, July 1999, (http://es.epa.gov/oeca/ofa/ei nepa.html).
U.S. EPA, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program Guidelines. EPA 816-R-97-005,
February 1997, (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf.html).
39
-------
USEPA Disadvantaged Communities
U.S. EPA, Information for States on Developing Affordability Criteria for Drinking Water. EPA
816-R-98-002. February 1998, http://www.epa.gov/safewater/smallsys/afforddh.html).
U.S. EPA, Prioritizing Drinking Water Needs: A Compilation of State Priority Systems for the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program. EPA 816-R-99-001 January 1999,
(http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwsrf/priority.html).
Washington State Department of Health. The Water Tap. February 1999.
40
-------
:es
Table A-1
The Poverty Measure: A Brief History
The Social Security Administration (SSA) began publishing poverty statistics in the early 1960s,
using a poverty measure developed by staff economist Mollie Orshansky. This measure had a set
of poverty thresholds for different types of families that consisted of the cost of a minimum
adequate diet (Orshansky used the Economy Food Plan, the least expensive of the four food
plans designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1961) multiplied by three to allow for
other expenses. The threshold value for the base year 1963 for a family of two adults and two
children was about $3,100. To determine a family's poverty status, its resources, defined as cash
income before taxes, were compared with the appropriate threshold.
In 1965 the Office of Economic Opportunity adopted the SSA thresholds for statistical and
program planning purposes; in 1969 the U.S. Bureau of the Budget (now the U.S. Office of
Management and Budget) issued a statistical policy directive that gave the thresholds official
status throughout the federal government. The Census Bureau took on the job of publishing the
official annual statistics on the number and proportion who were poor (the poverty rate) by
comparing the thresholds to estimates of families' cash income before taxes, based on
information from the Current Population Survey taken annually in March. It first issued poverty
statistics in August 1967. For these comparisons, the thresholds are updated annually for price
inflation and so are not changed in real dollar terms; in other words, the 1997 threshold value of
$16,050 for a family of four (two adults and two children) represents the same purchasing power
as the 1963 threshold value of about $3,100 for this type of family.
For further reading: Gordon M. Fisher, "The Development and History of the Poverty
Thresholds," Social Security Bulletin 55, no. 4 (Winter 1992): 3-14 and Focus 19:2: Revising the
Poverty Measure.
Source: Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/).
A-l
-------
Table A-2
Poverty Thresholds and Poverty Guidelines
Since December 1965, there have been two slightly different versions of the federal poverty
measure: the poverty thresholds and the poverty guidelines.
The poverty thresholds are the statistical version of the poverty measure and are issued by the
Census Bureau; they are used for calculating the number of persons in poverty in the United
States or in states and regions.
The poverty guidelines are the administrative version of the poverty measure and are issued by
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); they are a simplification of the poverty
thresholds and are used in determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs.
A major reason for issuing guidelines distinct from the poverty thresholds is that the thresholds
for a particular calendar year are not published in final form until late summer of the following
calendar year. If poverty guidelines were not issued, HHS and other agencies would have to use
two-year-old data in determining eligibility for programs during the first half of each year.
Both the poverty thresholds and the poverty guidelines are updated annually for price changes
using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).
The HHS poverty guidelines are used in setting eligibility criteria for a number of federal
programs. Some programs actually use a percentage multiple of the guidelines, such as 125
percent, 150 percent, or 185 percent. This is not the result of a single coherent plan; instead, it
stems from decisions made at different times by different congressional committees or federal
agencies.
Some examples of federal programs that use the guidelines in setting their eligibility criteria are:
n In HHS: Community Services Block Grant, Head Start, Low-Income Home Energy
Assistance
n In the Department of Agriculture: Food Stamps, Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women,
Infants, and Children
n (WIC), Emergency Food Assistance (TEFAP), the National School Lunch and School
Breakfast programs
n In the Department of Energy: Weatherization Assistance, Department of Labor: Job Corps,
some other employment and training programs under the Job Training Partnership Act
n In the Legal Services Corporation: Legal services for the poor
Certain relatively recent provisions of Medicaid use the poverty guidelines; however, the rest of
that program (accounting for roughly three-quarters of Medicaid eligibility determinations) does
not use the guidelines.
A-2
-------
Table A-2 (continued)
Absent from the list of programs using the guidelines are Supplemental Security Income, the
Earned Income Tax Credit program, the Social Services Block grant, the Department of Housing
and Urban Development's means-tested housing assistance and, while it existed, Aid to Families
with Dependent Children (AFDC), although about a dozen states linked their AFDC need
standards at least nominally to the poverty guideline.
Some state and local governments have chosen to use the federal poverty guidelines in some of
their own programs and activities. Examples include state health insurance programs, financial
guidelines for child support enforcement, and determination of legal indigence for court
purposes. Private companies such as utilities, telephone companies, and pharmaceutical
companies have also adopted the guidelines in setting eligibility for their services to low-income
persons.
This description is adapted from Gordon M. Fisher, 'Disseminating the Administrative Version
of the Federal Poverty Measure in the 1990s,' paper presented June 6, 1996, at the annual
meeting of the Sociological Practice Association, Arlington, Va. Gordon Fisher, a program
analyst in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the Department of
Health and Human Services, has been responsible since 1982 for preparing the annual update of
the poverty guidelines.
Source: Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison (http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/).
Table A-3
How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty
Following the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) Statistical Policy Directive 14, the
U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and
composition to detect who is poor. If a family's total income is less than that family's threshold,
then that family, and every individual in it, is considered poor. The poverty thresholds do not
vary geographically, but they are updated annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index
(CPI-U). The official poverty definition counts money income before taxes and does not include
capital gains and noncash benefits (such as public housing, medicaid, and food stamps). Poverty
is not defined for people in military barracks, institutional group quarters, or for unrelated
individuals under age 15 (such as foster children). They are excluded from the poverty universe—
that is, they are considered neither as "poor" nor as "nonpoor."
Source: Dalaker, Joseph, U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Series P60-207,
Poverty in the United States: 1998, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1999.
(http://www.census.gov/hhes/poverty/povdef.html).
A-3
-------
Table A-4
Poverty Rates Based on Alternative Income Definitions.
Persons in
Poverty
(1,000)
Poverty
Rate
Income Before Taxes
1. Money income excluding capital gains (current measure)
la. Money income less taxes without earned income credit (EIC)
Ib. Money income less taxes with EIC.
2. Definition 1 less government cash transfers
3. Definition 2 plus capital gains
4. Definition 3 plus health insurance supplements to wage or salary income
30,754
33,250
28,445
51,026
50,593
48,974
11.3
12.3
10.5
18.8
18.7
18.1
Income After Taxes
5. Definition 4 less social security payroll taxes
6. Definition 5 less federal income taxes (excluding the EIC)
7. Definition 6 plus the (EIC)
8. Definition 7 less state income taxes
9. Definition 8 plus nonmeans-tested government cash transfers
10. Definition 9 plus the value of Medicare
11. Definition 10 plus the value of regular-price school lunches
12. Definition 1 1 plus means-tested government cash transfers
13. Definition 12 plus the value of Medicaid
14. Definition 13 plus the value of other means-tested government noncash
transfers
14a. Definition 13 plus the value of other means-tested government noncash
transfers less medical programs
51,338
51,660
47,502
47,868
29,929
29,146
29,134
26,638
25,620
22,315
23,014
18.9
19.1
17.5
17.7
11.0
10.8
10.7
9.8
9.5
8.2
8.5
15. Definition 14 plus net imputed return on equity in own home
20,611
7.6
Notes: Total number of persons was 271,059,000 in 1998. Poverty Thresholds Based on CPI-U-X1. For
explanation of definitions see Appendix B of source.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, March 1999 Current Population Survey
(http://www.census. gov/hhes/povertv/povertv98/table6.html').
A-4
-------
Table A-5
Poverty Areas
In 1990, more than 1 in 5 Americans — or 52 million — lived in a "poverty area." Poverty areas
are census tracts or block numbering areas (BNA's) where at least 20 percent of residents were
poor in 1989. (See the box on page 2 for a definition of census tracts and BNA's). Just over two-
thirds of poverty area residents lived in a metropolitan area. In some of these areas, poverty was
especially widespread, as 40 percent or more of residents were poor. About 1 in 25 Americans
lived in such a tract or BNA, known as an "extreme poverty area."
Poverty Areas: Characteristics
Q Poverty areas have high concentrations of poor persons. But that doesn't mean that everyone
living in them is poor. In fact, the majority of the Nation's poverty area residents (69 percent)
were above the poverty line in 1989.
Q As the graph below shows, Whites made up more than half of the population living in
poverty areas. However, they comprised a higher proportion of those living outside such
areas. This was not the case for Blacks and Hispanics. Four times as many Blacks and three
times as many Hispanics lived in poverty areas than lived outside them.
Q Workers living in poverty areas earned an average of only $15,521 during 1989, much less
than the $23,122 earned by those living outside such areas. At the same time, persons in
poverty areas were over three times more likely than nonpoverty area adults to have received
public assistance income that year (10 percent compared with 3 percent).
Q Unemployment in poverty areas was more than twice as high as in nonpoverty areas (12
percent versus 5 percent). In addition, those in poverty areas were more likely not to have
worked at all in 1989 (38 percent compared with 27 percent). Conversely, persons in
nonpoverty areas were more apt to have worked year-round, full-time (43 percent versus 30
percent).
Q Families in poverty areas were nearly twice as likely as those elsewhere to have a female
householder (29 percent versus 13 percent) and less likely to be maintained by a married
couple (65 percent compared with 83 percent).
Q One in twenty-five poverty area families consisted of seven or more persons. In nonpoverty
areas, only about 1 in 75 families were that large.
Q For 29 percent of poverty area householders, high school was the highest level of education
completed; the same was true of a similar proportion of their counterparts who lived outside
poverty areas. But poverty area householders were less apt to have furthered their education.
For instance — Fifteen percent had attended college without obtaining a degree. Ten percent
more had a bachelor's as their highest degree earned. The corresponding proportions for
householders residing outside poverty areas were higher: 21 and 25 percent, respectively.
A-5
-------
Table A-5 (continued)
Q Eleven percent of persons in poverty areas had a self-care or mobility limitation. In other
words, they had been suffering from a health condition for at least the last 6 months, which
made it difficult for them to take care of personal needs (such as bathing or dressing) or go
outside the home alone. The corresponding rate in nonpoverty areas was 6 percent.
Q Poor homeowners, rather scarce outside poverty areas (where they made up about 5 percent
of all homeowners), were considerably more prevalent inside poverty areas, where they
comprised 15 percent.
Q Almost 1 in every 4 renters living in poverty areas spent at least half their 1989 household
income on gross rent (contract rent plus the cost of utilities) in comparison to only 16 percent
elsewhere.
n The South, home to 34 percent of the Nation's total population, contained 48 percent of its
poverty area residents. This was because 30 percent of Southerners lived in poverty areas —
the highest percentage of any region. The corresponding rate was 19 percent in the West, 17
percent in the Midwest, and 15 percent in the Northeast.
Source: Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Poverty Areas (June 1995)
(http://www.census.gov/socdemo/www/povarea.html).
A-6
-------
Table A-6
Information on Current Poverty Rates
The U.S. Census Bureau analyzes poverty annually, based on the Current Population Survey
(CPS). These data are used for the official poverty estimates. The March 1999 supplement,
reporting data on conditions in 1998, contained the following highlights:
Q The poverty rate for the United States dropped to 12.7 percent in 1998, down from 13.3
percent in 1997. The number of poor dropped significantly also, to 34.5 million people,
down from 35.6 million people in 1997.
Q The number of poor children and their poverty rate decreased as well. In 1998, 13.5
million or 18.9 percent of people under 18 years of age were poor, down from the 14.1
million and 19.9 percent reported for 1997. This was the first time the child poverty rate
has been significantly below 20 percent since 1980.
Q The poverty rate also decreased for Hispanics: 25.6 percent were poor in 1998, down
from 27.1 percent in 1997.
Q The poverty rate declined among Whites not of Hispanic origin: 8.2 percent were poor in
1998, down from 8.6 percent reported for 1997.
Q The poverty rate for Blacks did not change between 1997 and 1998. At 26.1 percent in
1998, it remained at the lowest level since 1959.
Q The South's poverty rate declined to a new record low of 13.7 percent in 1998, down
from 14.6 percent in 1997. The number of poor in the South declined to 13.0 million in
1998, down from 13.7 million in 1997.
Q Outside metropolitan areas, the number of poor people as well as the poverty rate
declined. In 1998, 14.4 percent of people outside metropolitan areas were poor, down
from 15.9 percent in 1997.
Q The average income deficit for poor families (the average dollar amount needed to raise a
poor family out of poverty) was $6,620 in 1998; this was statistically unchanged from
1997.
Q In three states the poverty rate changed significantly, based on the 2-year moving
averages of 1997-98 with those for 1996-97. The poverty rate dropped in New Mexico
and Virginia, while North Dakota showed an increase.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Poverty in the United States: 1998 (March 1999 Supplement)
(http: //www. census. gov/hhes/www/povty 98. html).
A-7
-------
Table A-7
1998 Poverty Thresholds by Household Size
Nine people or more
Eight people
Seven people
Six people
Five people
Four people
Three people
Two people
One person
Weighted
average
33339
28166
25257
22228
19680
16660
13003
10634
8316
Related Children Under 18
None
36100
30010
26833
23320
20275
16813
12750
One
36275
30275
27000
23413
20570
17088
13120
Two
35793
29730
26423
22930
19940
16530
13133
Three
35388
29253
26020
22468
19453
16588
Four
34723
28575
25270
21780
19155
Five
33808
27715
24395
21373
Six
32980
26820
23435
Seven
32775
26593
Eight or
more
31513
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census http://www.census.gov/hhes/poverty/threshld/thresh98.html.
Table A-8
1999 Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the
District of Columbia
Size of family unit
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
For each
additional person
add
48 Contiguous States
$ 8,240
11,060
13,880
16,700
19,520
22,340
25,160
27,980
2,820
Alaska
$10,320
13,840
17,360
20,880
24,400
27,920
31,440
34,960
3,520
Hawaii
$ 9,490
12,730
15,970
19,210
22,450
25,690
28,930
32,170
3,240
For family units with more than 8 members, add $2,820 for each additional member. (The same increment
to smaller family sizes).
Source: Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 52, March 18, 1999, pp. 13428-13430.
http://aspe.hhs.gov/povertv/99povertv.htm
applies
A-:
-------
Three-Year Average Poverty Rates* by State; IM6, 1997, and 1998
90 (wrstill. tsSflitdoriKB t
Midpoint
District of Columbia
New Mexico
toy i-uaria
AjTlKKM
W*st Virginia
Arkansas
NEW York
Mantua
California
tSK.M,
Kentucky
Oklahoma
Alabama
Tennessee
L r-Liiqia
South C4i'olln.i
Nonh Dakota
Unjtnd SlxtWf
Idaho
South Dakota
Oregon
North CaroNna
M.uv.'il
Wyciniir%
Rhode Islam!
Ohio
Virginia
1: ll.-IMI-,
Nebraska
Vermont
Mam*
Kansas
WaihlnQten
Connecticut
Nevada
Delaware
. fJ.V.l
flew jefs*y
Alaska
ir.r. imj
i*j
.If
'K
3
-------
This page intentionally left blank.
A-10
-------
States included in this overview:
a California - 1998 Final
a Colorado-1998 Final
a Michigan - 1999 Final
a Minnesota -1999 Final
a Montana - 1999 Draft
a New Jersey -1999 Final
a North Carolina - 1998 Draft
a North Dakota - 1998 Final
a Ohio - 2000 Final
a Pennsylvania-1999 Final
a Vermont-1999 Draft
a Virginia-1998 Final
a Wisconsin - 1999 Final
B- 1
-------
This page intentionally left blank.
B-2
-------
California, 1998 Final
Affordability
p. 24:
Affordability is the first variable considered for bonus ranking points. Bonus points are
used only in ranking projects within a category. Bonus points do not move a project from
a lower ranked category to a higher one. Category is much more important for funding
than bonus points. The method for determining affordability "compares the median
household income (MHI) level of the community served by the proposed project to the
statewide median household income level. Communities that are below the statewide
average median household income level would receive additional ranking consideration.
This would give poor communities a higher ranking within a category than communities
with higher income levels."
MHI of Service Area
Ranking Points
Greater than the statewide MHI
90%- 100% of statewide MHI
80%-89% of statewide MHI
70%-79% of statewide MHI
60%-69% of statewide MHI
Less than 60% of statewide MHI
0
5
10
15
20
25
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 11:
The third entry under the subsection "Types of Financial Assistance Available" is:
"3. Disadvantaged Communities
As provided for by state and federal statutes, disadvantaged communities may be eligible
for additional financial assistance in the form of lower interest rates, extended repayment
periods, or forgiveness of principal (subsidy). The loan terms and conditions will be as
follows:
• The applicant must be a public agency.
• 0% interest rate shall apply to a maximum of $7.5 Million per project with the
balance at the regular 50% of the average interest rate paid by the state on general
obligation bonds issued in the prior calendar year.
• The loan repayment period will be 5 years for planning loans and up to 30 years (if
needed) for construction loans as long as it doesn't exceed the expected design life of
the project.
• The applicable interest rate for both planning loans and construction loans will be 0%.
• The maximum amount of additional financial subsidy to be awarded to a single public
water system in any one fiscal year shall not exceed $1,000,000.
B-3
-------
• The maximum amount of principal forgiveness per project is 80 percent for categories
A through G, 65 percent for projects in categories H through L, and 50 percent for
projects in categories M through O.
• In addition to the $1,000,000 maximum total, forgiveness of principal will not be
awarded in excess of $10,000 per service connection."
p. 17:
Chapter 5 of the IUP: "Disadvantaged Communities"
"California statutes state that the Department may provide additional financial assistance
to 'disadvantaged communities' if such communities cannot afford to repay the full
amount of the loan needed to fund the proposed project. The assistance (in addition to a
zero interest loan) may include extending the repayment period to 30 years (but not to
exceed the design life), forgiveness of some or all of the loan principal, or some
combination thereof... .If the entire service area of the public water system does not meet
the criteria for a disadvantaged community, the system is not eligible for additional
financial assistance... .The offer of additional assistance will be dependent upon the
disadvantaged community's ability to repay a loan. Thus, factors such as household
income levels, current and projected monthly consumer water charges, and the cost of the
proposed project become determining factors."
Whether a disadvantaged community qualifies for additional assistance is determined
after the Department of Water Resources completes it evaluations. (See Figure 2 for
process.) Report states that although the Department intends to help disadvantaged
communities it will avoid excessive awarding of subsidies and try to strike an appropriate
balance in order to sustain an ongoing and viable loan program.
B-4
-------
Colorado - 1998 Final
HNWIAl. M-.KU DKI'KRMINAIION
i
i
Affordability
p. 8:
Under subhead Priority Point Assignments Within Each Category
"(2) Financial Need. Points shall be assigned to water systems in accordance with the
following 'financial need criteria' established by the state.
(a) ability to pay (annual water service fee as a percentage of median household income):
Over 3.0% 20 points
Over 2%; up to 3.0% 15 points
Over 1%; up to 2% 10 points
(b) local burden (total project cost per equivalent residential tap):
Over $5,000 20 points
Over $3,500 15 points
Over $2,000 10 points"
[104 maximum possible points]
Disadvantaged Communities
No specific mentions.
B-5
-------
Michigan-1999 Final
Affordability
pp. 12-13:
"VIII. CRITERIA AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS - PROJECT
LOANS...
The DWRF must.. .give priority to projects that:...
• Assist systems most in need according to the state's affordability requirements"
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 7:
"IV. LONG-TERM GOALS
.. .D. To develop strategies within the DWRF to assist smaller, economically
disadvantaged communities in meeting drinking water standards."
p. 8:
"V SHORT-TERM GOALS
.. .B. To review and promote the disadvantaged community assistance and streamline the
requirements for submitting local user charge information."
pp.13-14:
"IX. DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY STATUS
Disadvantaged community status is determined by the DEQ based on information
submitted with a supplier's project plan. To qualify, an applicant must [meet the
definition of municipality, have a median annual household income less than 120% of the
state's, and the costs of the project must be borne by customers in the service area. One
of four more conditions (based on household income and poverty status) must also be
met.]
... The major benefits for qualified communities include extension of loan terms to 30
years, 50 additional priority points, and assistance to help defray the costs of preparing
project plans."
Minnesota -1999 Final
Affordability
p.5:
"VI. Drinking Water Revolving Fund Goals...
The descending order of loan priority is to... 3) assist systems in most financial need.
[Note: Three total goals are listed.]
B-6
-------
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 2:
"II. Projects to be Funded
D. Disadvantaged Community Criteria
...an applicant is considered a disadvantaged community and eligible for supplemental
assistance from the DWRF to reduce its loan principal if it meets the following criteria:
1) the project receives public health priority points under Minnesota Rules part
4720.9020,
2) the total project costs (including annual debt service and operation and maintenance)
exceed 1.4% of median household income, and
3) the applicant also applies to all other federal and state financial assistance programs
for which it is eligible.
... A single applicant cannot receive more than $500,000 in supplemental assistance. The
total amount of supplemental assistance provided in a single year cannot exceed
$2,000,000 or 10% of the federal capitalization grant, whichever is less."
p.5:
"VI. Drinking Water Revolving Fund Goals...
The descending order of loan priority is to... 3) assist systems in most financial need.
[Note: Three total goals are listed.]
Montana -1999 Draft
Affordability
p. 9:
"Criteria and Method Used for Distribution of Funds
.. .The financial impact of the proposed project on the system users will be considered as
one of the ranking criteria. The communities most in need of low interest loans to fund
the project will be awarded points under the affordability criterion."
p. 10:
"Summary of Ranking Criteria for Drinking Water SRF Priority List
... 5. Affordability - 20 points maximum"
[Note: approximately 350 points possible?]
p. 15:
"Appendix 2: Ranking Criteria for Drinking Water SRF Priority List
... 5. Affordability (Only one applicable - maximum 20 points)
Expected average household combined water and sewer user rates, including debt
retirement and O&M are:
• greater than 3.5% of MHI - 20 pts
• between 2.5% and 3.5% (inclusive) of MHIU - 15 pts
B-7
-------
• between 1.0% and 2.5% (inclusive) of MHI - 10 pts
• 1.0% or less of MHI - 5 pts"
[Note: approximately 350 points possible?]
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 11:
"Short-term goals
... 5. To obtain maximum capitalization of the funds for the state in the shortest time
possible while taking advantage of the provisions for disadvantaged communities and
supporting the set-aside activities not directly in the loan portfolio."
p. 12:
"Subsidies to Disadvantaged Communities
...A community is considered economically disadvantaged when its combined monthly
water and wastewater system rates are greater than or equal to 23.2% of the community's
Median Household Income (MHI). If the community has only a water system, the
percentage is 1.4% of the community's MHI.. .To assist these economically
disadvantaged communities, the Drinking Water SRF loan program will provide
qualifying communities a waiver of the loan loss reserve fee, which will result in an
annual 1.0% interest rate reduction on the project loan. The total amount of reduced
interest rate loans that the Drinking Water SRF will make under any single capitalization
grant will be limited to 20% of that capitalization grant... .Qualifying disadvantaged
communities also are eligible for extended loan terms, up to 30 years, provided the loan
term does not exceed the design life of the project."
New Jersey - 1999 Final
Affordability
pp. 4-8:
"II. Ranking Methodology...
A project must be assigned points from Category A to be eligible for ranking, points
assigned from the remaining categories are in addition to the points received in Category
A....
D. Affordability...
Affordability is the degree of need for financial assistance based upon the New Jersey
median household income compared to the municipal median household income (MHI).
Affordability is determined by the following formula:
Municipal Mffl/Statewide MHI x 100 = Affordability Factor
Points are assigned as follows:
1. Affordability factor of 100 or greater 0 pts
2. Affordability factor from 85 through 99 15 pts
3. Affordability factor from 66 through 84 30 pts
-------
4. Affordability factor less than or equal to 65 80 pts
.. .The NJDEP has determined that for the purposes of the DWSRF Program, a
municipality whose median household income is 35% or more below the State's MHI,
shall be considered a Disadvantaged Community, and will receive 80 priority points,
which are proportionately greater than the other affordability factor points.... A weighted
MHI will be calculated for a project sponsor whose water system serves more than one
municipality..."
Disadvantaged Communities
pp. 4-8:
"II. Ranking Methodology...
A project must be assigned points from Category A to be eligible for ranking, points
assigned from the remaining categories are in addition to the points received in Category
A....
D. Affordability...
.. .The NJDEP has determined that for the purposes of the DWSRF Program, a
municipality whose median household income is 35% or more below the State's MHI,
shall be considered a Disadvantaged Community, and will receive 80 priority points,
which are proportionately greater than the other affordability factor points....
North Carolina - 1998 Draft
Affordability
p.l:
"2A. Short-term goals...
Through the application of affordability criteria described in the DWSRF program rules,
the state intends to further the probability, on a short term basis, that systems with critical
public health or compliance needs and accompanying financial needs will evolve as the
applicant's to be funded from the DWSRF....
2B. Long-term goals
.. .through the offering of below market rate loans for projects, the state is striving to
promote safe and affordable drinking water."
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 3:
"3. Financial Status of DWSRF...
3C. Other Status Information...
These policies and procedures adopted and implemented to date preclude any "no
interest" or "forgiveness of principal" loans to disadvantaged communities. After the
capacity development guidelines are finalized and the state has initiated its
comprehensive capacity development program, a change in policy for disadvantaged
communities may be considered."
B-9
-------
P. 11:
"9. Disadvantaged Community Program
.. .Awarding funds with reduced or no repayment would limit the State's ability to
address the tremendous infrastructure need. The state has elected not to award funds on a
"no interest" or "forgiveness loan" basis. This policy may be revisited after the impact of
the Capacity Development program on North Carolina public water systems and their
respective funding sources is known.
The State has recognized the need for some local units to have access to grant funds.
Accordingly, the State Clean Water and Natural Gas Critical Needs Bond Act of 1998
provided just over half of the grant funds for applicants with municipal bond ratings
below 75. These local units of government have difficulty borrowing funds from the open
market for water supply and infrastructure improvement needs. The same public health
and compliance rating criteria for the SRF program is utilized in determining critical
infrastructure needs under this State program."
North Dakota - 1998 Final
Affordability
p. 4:
"C. Criteria and Method for the Distribution of Funds
Priority Ranking System
...The priority ranking system contains the following [9 total] main categories:...3)
affordability;.. .The priority ranking system is designed to ensure that DWSRF funds are
focused on projects that address the most serious risks to human health, rectify SDWA
compliance problems, and assist those systems most in need based on affordability
considerations."
p. 12:
"F. Short- and Long-Term Goals
.. .The objectives of the NDDH's DWSRF program include.. .assisting systems to ensure
affordable drinking water,..."
Attachment 2:
"Priority Ranking System for Financial Assistance through the Drinking Water State
Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF) Program...
[Category 3] Affordability - Select One From Each Category (Maximum Points = 25)
[maximum total points, 200]
A. Community Water Systems
1. Relative income index - ratio of local annual median household income (AMHI)
to the state nonmetropolitan AMHI (based on 1990 census data)
<50% 10
50% to 60% 9
61% to 70% 8
B- 10
-------
71% to 80% 5
81% to 90% 3
91% to 100% 1
2. Relative water rate index (future) - ratio of expected average annual residential
user charge for water service resulting from the project, including costs recovered
through special assessments, to the local AMHI
>2.5% 9
2.0% to 2.5% 8
1.5% to 1.9% 5
1.0% to 1.4% 3
0.5% to 0.9% 1
3. Relative water index (present) - ratio of present average annual residential user
charge for water service, including costs recovered through special assessments, to
the local AMHI
>2.5% 6
2.0% to 2.5% 5
1.5% to 1.9% 4
1.0% to 1.4% 2
0.5% to 0.9% 1
B. Nonprofit Noncommunity Water Systems
1. Relative income index - ratio of local or service area AMHI to the state
nonmetropolitan AMHI (based on 1990 census data)
<50% 10
50% to 60% 9
61% to 70% 8
71% to 80% 5
81% to 90% 3
91% to 100% 1
2. Percentage revenue increase required to offset project cost
>100% 9
75% to 100% 8
50% to 74% 5
25% to 49% 3
10% to 24% 1
3. Relative water service cost index - ratio of present water service expenditures to
total operating expenses
>20% 6
15% to 20% 5
10% to 14% 4
5% to 9% 2
2% to 4% 1"
Disadvantaged Communities
B- 11
-------
p. 6:
"D. Set-Aside Activities...
Optional Project Set-Asides
Under the SDWA, states may provide additional loan subsidies (i.e., reduced interest or
negative interest rate loans, principal forgiveness) to benefit communities meeting the
definition of "disadvantaged" or which the state expects to become disadvantaged as the
result of the project. A disadvantaged community is one in which the entire service area
of a PWS meets affordability criteria established by the state following public review and
comment. The value of subsidies cannot exceed 30% of the amount of the federal
capitalization grant for any fiscal year. By January 6, 1998, the EPA is required to
provide guidance to assist states in developing affordability criteria... .No disadvantaged
community program is proposed in this IUP...."
Ohio - 2000 Final
Affordability
p. 9:
"Water Supply Revolving Loan Account Project Priority System...
The WSRLA Project Priority System ranks submitted projects primarily according to
three factors:
• Human health risk
• Compliance with federal and state SDWA requirements
• Affordability"
p. 30:
"Appendix E WSRLA Project Priority System
All eligible projects will be rated with respect to six categories to determine their ranking
and selection for funding under the WSRLA. These categories are:...
5. Affordability"
p. 34-36:
[Appendix E]
"Affordability Criteria
...One of the best indicators of affordability is the environmental/health utility burden
placed on a household (i.e. the cost of water/sewer service). A higher degree of financial
burden will be placed on water systems with relatively lower populations because the
user base will be smaller over which the cost of the utility service is recovered. Per
household analysis is relevant in that household costs of infrastructure improvements are
a function of the population size of the community or service area.
Not all public water systems have sewer systems associated with them and some public
water systems have no rate structure on which to base comparisons. Therefore it was
necessary to develop a means to evaluate affordability in these circumstances, and to set
some default limits for public water systems with no economic data. The options are
presented below.
B- 12
-------
If entity is an eligible water system that does not have a rate structure... - 20 points
If combined Water and Sewer Benchmarks (1990) are or = Annual Water and
Sewer Rates (1997) - 0 points
For systems with only an existing water system
If the Water Benchmark (1990) is < Annual Water Rate (1997) - 20 points
If the Water Benchmark is > or = Annual Water Rate (1997) - 0 points
For systems with only an existing sewer system
If the Sewer Benchmark (1990) is < Annual Sewer Rate (1997) - 20 points
If the Sewer Benchmark (1990) is > or = Annual Sewer Rate (1997) - 0 points
Sewer and Water Benchmark Values
The affordability analysis is performed through an economic screening, which measures
the financial impact of the rate structure on a residential user of household. This is
accomplished through a comparison of the current annual cost per residential user to a
sewer and/or water benchmark..." [explanation of benchmarks follows]
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 1:
"Summary of Changes to the DWAF in 2000
Substantial progress has been made toward the development of rules to provide for
subsidies in addition to other financial assistance afforded to disadvantaged communities
by the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account (WSRLA)."
p. 3:
"Drinking Water Assistance Fund's Long-Term Goals...
8. Improve the types of small and disadvantaged community assistance to reduce the
financial burden imposed on low income customers;"
p. 13:
"Disadvantaged System Assistance
The WSRLA has the authority under federal and state law to offer additional forms of
financial assistance to systems, which have been classified as disadvantaged
Ohio EPA recognizes the need for development of this type of assistance to be provided
as an alternative to qualified systems. Rules are being developed at this time to
implement this program. As rules are enacted and the program is enabled, Ohio EPA will
be providing a disadvantaged community program."
B- 13
-------
Pennsylvania -1999 Final
Affordability
p. 3:
"III. Criteria and Method Used for Distribution of Funds...
B. Rationale for Providing Different Types of Assistance and Terms
Pennsylvania's financial assistance policy is based upon the communities' ability to
repay loans...
1. The minimum interest rate allowable for any loan is 1%. The maximum rates are
determined by comparing the unemployment rate of the county in which the project is
located to the statewide average unemployment rate.. .If the county unemployment
rate exceeds the statewide average by 40% or more, the maximum interest rate
allowable is 1% for the first five years of the term and 25% of the interest rate the
Commonwealth must pay for bonds it has issued to finance the program for the
remainder of the term.
2. For projects located in counties where the unemployment rate exceeds the statewide
average rate by less than 40%, the maximum interest rate is 30% of the state bond
issue rate for the first five years of the term, and 60% of the state bond issue rate for
the remainder of the term. Projects in counties that have an unemployment rate
below the statewide average receive maximum interest rates equal to 60% of the bond
issue rate and 75% of the bond issue rate for the first five years and the remainder of
the term respectively.
3. Interest rates may be set lower than the maximum if the PIIA Board determines that
the community is so financially distressed that repayment of the loan is unlikely if the
project were financed at the county interest rate maximums. If the Board determines
that the community may not be able to repay the loan even if it were offered at 1% for
the entire term, the Board may offer the system a supplemental grant, using
Commonwealth funds.
4. Reduced interest rates and limited supplemental grants allow many systems to
undertake needed water facility improvements/construction that would not be feasible
otherwise...
5. The financial planning undertaken for the Fund includes the use of the PIIA
affordability analysis to determine loan terms and repayments...
p. 5:
"III. Criteria and Method Used for Distribution of Funds...
C. Priority and Allocation of Assistance...
Pennsylvania utilizes a financial capability analysis to determine the financing offer to
applicants. This capability analysis takes into consideration 15 variables based upon the
communities annual financial statements submitted to the Department of Community and
Economic Development. These variables include financial, burden/effort/capacity and
socio/economic factors...
These socio-economic factors are weighted with the adjusted 1990 median Household
Income (MHI) to determine the percent of the MHI that should be available for payment
B- 14
-------
of water service. This will be expressed as a percentage between 1 and 2 percent and is
what we believe to be the range of what other similar systems are paying for water
service. Where a particular project will fall within the 1 to 2 percent is dependent upon
the socio-economic factors discussed above and the adjusted MHI.
Once a 'target' user rate has been determined, the project and operation and maintenance
costs are factored against the available users and a resulting user rate developed. Should
the resulting user rate be higher than what is determined that similar systems are paying,
the interest rate is adjusted down to as low as 1% per annum and the repayment term can
be extended to as long as 30 years if necessary to bring the user rates to within acceptable
levels. This will constitute Pennsylvania's Disadvantaged Community Program, which is
more fully described later in this document."
p. 8:
"VI. Goals of the DWSRF Program in Pennsylvania
A. Long-Term Goals...
4. To assist communities with financial difficulties in meeting required drinking
water standards. Low interest loans for the eligible project costs will be available
to assist these communities. Other types of assistance are available to improve
the marketability of local debt instruments. The goal is to provide, without
replacing other funds reasonably available, the type and amount of assistance
necessary to make the project affordable, consistent with the long-term health of
the DWSRF."
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 5:
"III. Criteria and Method Used for Distribution of Funds...
C. Priority and Allocation of Assistance...
Pennsylvania utilizes a financial capability analysis to determine the financing offer to
applicants. This capability analysis takes into consideration 15 variables based upon the
communities annual financial statements submitted to the Department of Community and
Economic Development. These variables include financial, burden/effort/capacity and
socio/economic factors...
These socio-economic factors are weighted with the adjusted 1990 median Household
Income (MHI) to determine the percent of the MHI that should be available for payment
of water service. This will be expressed as a percentage between 1 and 2 percent and is
what we believe to be the range of what other similar systems are paying for water
service. Where a particular project will fall within the 1 to 2 percent is dependent upon
the socio-economic factors discussed above and the adjusted MHI.
Once a 'target' user rate has been determined, the project and operation and maintenance
costs are factored against the available users and a resulting user rate developed. Should
the resulting user rate be higher than what is determined that similar systems are paying,
the interest rate is adjusted down to as low as 1% per annum and the repayment term can
be extended to as long as 30 years if necessary to bring the user rates to within acceptable
B- 15
-------
levels. This will constitute Pennsylvania's Disadvantaged Community Program, which is
more fully described later in this document."
p. 6:
"IV. The Impact of Funding Decisions...
B. Disadvantaged Communities
Based on the definition of Pennsylvania's intended use of this program (see Section
VIII), the financial impact to the fund corpus will be a delay in receiving loan principle
and interest repayments. This program use does not diminish nor reduce the corpus of
the fund. The actual federal investment will remain the same over the long term of the
DWSRF program."
p. 10:
"VIII. Description of How Pennsylvania Will Define a Disadvantaged System
PIIA utilizes a financial capability analysis that compares various community specific
demographic data to similarly situated communities across the Commonwealth to
determine a percent of the community's adjusted Median Household Income (MHI) that
should be available to pay for water service. The amount that should be available to pay
for water service by residential customers will range from one to two percent of the
community's MHI dependent upon the specific socio-economic factors that are provided
by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. This
process aids in an equitable distribution of residential user rates.
Should the estimated resulting residential user rates be higher than similar systems, even
after PIIA has provided the most favorable funding package available, based upon criteria
set forth in the PIIA act and regulations and further described in this document under
III.C. 'Priority and Allocation of Assistance,' these systems would be considered
'disadvantaged' for the purpose of term extension from the normal 20 years to a term of
up to up to, but not to exceed 30 years repayment of principle and interest. Systems
qualifying for term extensions must exceed the user rate(s) found in similar systems by at
least 25%, according to the PIIA financial capability model. The terms will only be
extended to a point that will allow the residential user rate to fall to a level not less than
25% more than what similar systems are paying for the cost of water service, as
determined by the demographic analysis and financial capability analysis.
Two projects identified on the IUP listed in this grant application have repayment terms
beyond 20 years."
Vermont - 1999 Draft
Affordability
p. 15:
V. Priority Ranking System
B- 16
-------
.. .Priority in funding will be given to projects that address the most serious risk to human
health.. .and assist systems most in need according to State affordability criteria....
A. Priority Ranking System Scoring Criteria...
The non-technical criteria are:...
6. Financial Need/Affordability."
p. 19
"6. Affordability
Affordability only considers income because it is the most fundamental predictor of a
household's ability to pay and which is represented by the median community
household income statistic. Affordability is based on a comparison of state community
median household income (SCMI) to the median household income (MHI) of the water
system or of the town(s) in which the system exists....
Formula: (Community MHI /SCMI) x 100 = X
X<60
60<= X < 70
70<= X < 80
80<= X < 90
90<=X< 100
100<=X<120
X >= 120
35 points
25 points
1 5 points
10 points
5 points
2 points
0 points
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 2:
"Short Term Goals and Objectives...
7. Actively promote and pursue funding for all eligible systems, especially systems
serving disadvantaged communities.. .that do not have adequate technical, managerial, or
financial resources to come into or maintain compliance, and to provide safe drinking
water."
pp.10-11:
"F. Disadvantaged System Program
.. .The disadvantaged system program is intended to provide longer loan terms and
principal forgiveness to water systems that have a relatively low income and relatively
high water user costs... .A water system is considered disadvantaged when both of two
conditions are satisfied. First, the municipality in which the water system is located or
the users of the water system must have a median household income below the average of
the community median household incomes of the state. Second, the water system must
have an annual household water user cost greater than 1.25 percent of the median
household income after construction of the proposed water supply
improvements....Disadvantaged systems are eligible to receive loans up to 30 years in
length and receive interest rates of no more than plus three (+3) percent but not less than
minus three (-3) percent...."
pp. 21-22:
B- 17
-------
"6. Bypass Mechanisms...
d. Disadvantaged Community
Disadvantaged communities can elect to be bypassed if they are not able to receive
principal forgiveness because the 30 percent annual maximum has been reached..."
Virginia -1998 Final
Affordability
No specific references to affordability are found in this IUP.
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 5:
"Financial Health...
In the disadvantaged program... loan subsidies in the form of principal forgiveness will
decrease the loan funds available; however, principal forgiveness coupled with a
comprehensive business plan... will reduce the demand on the loan fund by insuring the
long term well being of the water works."
p. 9:
"1452(k) Local Assistance and Other State Programs (15%)...
A. Loans to water systems for (1) Land Acquisition/Conservation Easements (2)
Incentive Based Voluntary Protection Measures and (3) Petition Program
.. .The interest rate would be 4%; disadvantaged waterworks may receive a 3% interest
rate. The term of loan is 20 years. Principle forgiveness is not allowed under the 1452(k)
loans."
Wisconsin -1999 Final
Affordability
p. 3-4:
VI. Method and Criteria for Distribution of Funds...
3) assist systems most in need on a per household basis according to state affordability
criteria.
.. .Projects will be granted additional points if the project is associated wit a system
considered most in need of financial assistance on a per household basis. A public water
system must have a population less than 10,000 and a median household income less than
or equal to 80% of the state's median household income to qualify for any points related
to financial need."
B- 18
-------
Disadvantaged Communities
p. 7:
"VIII. Disadvantaged Communities
The SDWLP offers a lower interest rate to local governmental units, which meet two
eligibility criteria. This rate is 33% of the State's market rate, those local governmental
units, which do not meet the two criteria, receive loans at 55% of the State's market rate.
The two eligibility criteria are:
1) the local governmental unit's population must be less than 10,000; and
2) the local governmental unit's median household income (MM) must be 80%
or less of the State's Mffl.
Although federal regulations allow for up to 30% of the Capitalization Grant to be used
for loan subsidies, Wisconsin will not be making loan subsidies below a further reduced
interest rate in order to preserve as much of the loan monies as possible to meet the high
demand for assistance. As Wisconsin's disadvantaged communities program is not
offering principal subsidies, there is no limit on how many communities may qualify."
B- 19
-------
a Attachment 1: Florida State Code: Project Allowances
a Attachment 2: Details of Oregon's Key Funding Programs
a Attachment 3: Staff Report on Oregon Disadvantaged System
a Attachment 4: Washington Public Works Board Income Survey
C- 1
-------
This page intentionally left blank.
C-2
-------
ATTACHMENT 1
Florida State Code: Project Allowances for DWSRF Loans
62-552.420 Project Allowances.
Certain allowances shall be included in the allowable project cost at the request of the project
sponsor. However, the costs of acquiring land, including easements and rights-of-way; acquiring
existing public water systems; and purchasing capacity in an existing public water system shall
be excluded from the adjusted post-allowance project costs for the purpose of establishing
allowances. Allowances shall be used in lieu of reimbursement for incurred costs. When
administrative and engineering allowances are disbursed under a pre-construction loan or pre-
construction grant, the project sponsor shall be ineligible to receive the same allowance
disbursements under a construction loan or construction grant for the same project. The amount
of the disbursements under a construction assistance agreement shall be established by
subtracting the amount previously disbursed under a pre-construction agreement from that
allowable under the construction assistance agreement. When a construction project is funded
with a combination of a grant and a loan, the financial assistance shall have both grant and loan
components. The grant percentage established under rule 62-552.370(l)(b) or (c), F.A.C., shall
be applied to each allowance to determine the grant portion under such combined grant and loan
assistance. The loan portion of administrative and engineering allowances shall be for the
remainder after subtracting the grant portion from the total of each allowance. There shall be no
loan portion for a planning allowance since no pre-construction loans shall be made in
conjunction with pre-construction grants.
(1) The allowance for administrative expenses shall not exceed the following:
(a) For pre-construction loans and pre-construction grants, the maximum allowance
that may be requested shall be $12,000 regardless of the adjusted post-allowance project costs.
(b) For construction loans and construction grants, the allowance shall not exceed
0.6% of the adjusted post-allowance project costs. However, the maximum allowance that may
be requested for projects with adjusted post-allowance project costs not exceeding $2,000,000
shall be $12,000.
(2) The allowance for engineering work performed before construction bid opening
shall not exceed the following:
(a) For pre-construction loans and pre-construction grants, the allowance shall not exceed the
larger of the allowance listed under "Engineering Amount" for the rangejn costs or the amount
calculated using the percentage listed under "Engineering Amount" multiplied by the estimated
adjusted post-allowance project costs as given in the table below. The amount of the allowance
shall be subject to the adjusted post-allowance project costs limitation of $2,000,000 under rule
62-552.350(1) or 62-552.360(6), F.A.C., respectively.
Adjusted Post-allowance Project Costs Engineering Amount
Less than $500,000 10.3% or $ 21,000
At least $500,000 but less than $1,000,000 8.5%or$ 52,000
At least $1,000,000 but less than $2,000,000 7.5%or$ 85,000
At least $2,000,000 but less than $5,000,000 6.8% or $ 150,000
C-3
-------
At least $5,000,000 but less than $10,000,000 6.4% or $ 375,000
At least $10,000,000 but less than $50,000,000 6.0% or $ 640,000
At least $50,000,000 5.7% or $3,000,000
(b) For construction loans and construction grants, the allowance shall not exceed the
larger of the allowance listed under "Engineering Amount" for the range in costs or the amount
calculated using the percentage listed under "Engineering Amount" multiplied by the estimated
adjusted post-allowance project as given in the table under paragraph (a) above.
(3) The allowance for planning work under a pre-construction loan or a pre-
construction grant shall be independent of other allowances for engineering work and
administrative expenses under this rule section. The amount of the allowance shall be subject to
the adjusted post-allowance project costs limitation of $2,000,000 under rule 62-552.350(1) or
62-552.360(6), F.A.C., respectively. The planning allowance shall not exceed the larger of the
allowance listed under "Planning Amount" for the range in costs or the amount calculated using
the percentage listed under "Planning Amount" multiplied by the estimated adjusted post-
allowance project costs as given in the table below:
Adjusted Post-allowance Project Costs Planning Amount
Less than $1,000,000 4.4% or $15,000
At least $1,000,000 but not more than $2,000,000 3.9% or $44,000
(4) Disbursement of allowances shall be as follows:
(a) For pre-construction grants and pre-construction loans, one-half of each of the
administrative and the planning allowances shall be disbursed on request of the project sponsor
after a financial assistance agreement is signed. The remaining one-half of each of the
administrative and the planning allowances shall be disbursed on request of the project sponsor
and after the environmental review under rule 62-552.700(3), F.A.C., has been completed. One-
half of the engineering allowance under a pre-construction loan or pre-construction grant
agreement shall be disbursed upon request of the project sponsor after the environmental review
under rule 62-552.700(3), F.A.C., has been completed. The remaining one-half of the
engineering allowance shall be disbursed upon request of the project sponsor after completion of
the plans and specifications.
(b) For construction grants and construction loans, administrative and engineering
allowances shall be disbursed on request of the project sponsor after a financial assistance
agreement is signed. Planning allowances shall not be included in construction loans or
construction grants.
(5) Increases to allowances shall be subject to the procedures for obtaining a priority
for funding under either rule 62-552.655 or 62-552.680(1), F.A.C., and to the following:
(a) There shall be no increase in the amount of a planning allowance.
(b) An increase, if requested, to the administrative or engineering allowance shall be
according to the following:
1. An increase in an allowance initially included in a pre-construction loan or pre-
construction grant shall be available only when a project has been planned and designed
according to the schedule incorporated into a pre-construction assistance agreement and only in
conjunction with a construction loan or construction grant that provides funding for facilities
C-4
-------
designed under the pre-construction loan or pre-construction grant. The amount of an allowance
increase shall be established by subtracting the allowance based upon the originally estimated
costs for post-allowance activities documented in the pre-construction assistance agreement from
the allowance based upon the adjusted post-allowance project costs established upon execution
of the final procurement contract for which the design was funded under the pre-construction
assistance agreement. The costs included in such final adjusted post-allowance project costs shall
be in the award amount(s) for the construction related contract(s) included in the project scope as
described in the construction assistance agreement, regardless of whether project funding has
been segmented under rule 62-552.500(l)(d) or 62-552.600(l)(b), F.A.C.
a. When an increase in post-allowance project costs occurs for a project funded first
with a pre-construction grant that has not been limited by the $2,000,000 maximum adjusted
post-allowance project costs imposed by rule 62-552.360(6), F.A.C., and then funded with a
construction grant for any part of the project, an increase to grant participation in engineering
and administrative allowances shall be made at the 85% grant participation level for that part of
the project being funded with the construction grant.
b. When an increase in post-allowance project costs occurs for a project funded first
with a pre-construction grant that has been limited by the $2,000,000 maximum adjusted post-
allowance project costs imposed by rule 62-552.360(6), F.A.C., and then funded with a
construction grant for any part of the project, an increase to grant participation in engineering
and administrative allowances shall be made at the construction grant participation level for that
part of the project being funded with the construction grant.
c. When a project funded first with a pre-construction grant that has been limited by
the $2,000,000 maximum adjusted post-allowance project costs imposed by rule 62-552.360(6),
F.A.C., and then is funded with a construction grant for any part of the project, grant
participation in that part of the engineering and administrative allowances previously disallowed
by the $2,000,000 maximum shall be available on request. Such grant funding shall be made at
the construction grant participation level for that part of the project being funded with the
construction grant.
2. An increase in an allowance initially included in a construction loan or
construction grant shall be available when the amount of all construction related contract awards
exceeds the estimate documented in the construction assistance agreement. The amount of an
allowance increase shall be established by subtracting the allowance based upon the originally
estimated costs for post-allowance activities documented in the construction assistance
agreement from the allowance based upon the adjusted post-allowance project costs established
upon execution of the final procurement contract. The costs included in such final adjusted post-
allowance project costs shall be in the award amount for the construction related contracts
included in the project scope as described in the construction assistance agreement, regardless of
whether project funding has been segmented under rule 62-552.500(l)(d) or 62-552.600(l)(b),
F.A.C.
(6) Decreases to allowances shall be made by amendment to the financing agreement
which the Department shall prepare and provide to the project sponsor for execution subject to
the following:
(a) The amount of any decrease under pre-construction grants or pre-construction
loans shall be established as follows:
C-5
-------
1. When planning is not completed as required by a financing agreement, the
amount of the decrease shall be established by eliminating all remaining undisbursed allowances
from the pre-construction grant or pre-construction loan amount.
2. When planning is completed but facilities are not designed as required by a
financing agreement, the amount of the decrease shall be established as the engineering
allowance for the incomplete design work based on the estimated adjusted post-allowance costs
documented in the completed facilities plan. The decrease shall be applied to all remaining
undisbursed allowances under the pre-construction loan or pre-construction grant. If necessary,
the decrease shall be recovered in conjunction with a construction loan or construction grant that
provides funding for any part of the designed facilities. Allowances are subject to further
adjustment under paragraph (b) below.
(b) The amount of any decrease to allowances under construction grants or
construction loans shall be established by subtracting the allowance based upon the adjusted
post-allowance project costs established upon execution of the final procurement contract from
the allowance based upon the originally estimated costs for post-allowance activities documented
in the construction assistance agreement. The costs included in such final adjusted post-
allowance project costs shall be in the award amount for construction related contracts included
in the project scope as described in the construction assistance agreement, regardless of whether
project funding has been segmented under rule 62-552.500(l)(d) or 62-552.600(l)(b), F.A.C.
1. When a decrease in post-allowance project costs occurs for a project funded first
with a pre-construction grant that has not been limited by the $2,000,000 maximum adjusted
post-allowance project costs imposed by rule 62-552.360(6), F.A.C., and then funded with a
construction grant for any part of the project, a decrease to grant participation in engineering and
administrative allowances shall be made at the 85% grant participation level for that part of the
project being funded with the construction grant.
2. When a decrease in post-allowance project costs occurs for a project funded first
with a pre-construction grant that has been limited by the $2,000,000 maximum adjusted post-
allowance project costs imposed by rule 62-552.360(6), F.A.C., and then funded with a
construction grant for any part of the project, a decrease to grant participation in engineering and
administrative allowances shall be made only if the costs drop below the maximum and then the
grant decrease shall be made at the 85% grant participation level for that part of the project
being funded with the construction grant.
Specific Authority 403.8532, FS.
Law Implemented 403.8532, FS.
History- New 4-7-98, Amended 8-10-98, Amended 7-20-99.
C-6
-------
ATTACHMENT 2
Oregon's Key Funding Programs: Details
Program
Safe Drinking
Water Revolving
Loan Fund
(DWSRF)
(Federal)
Community
Development
Block Grant
(CDBG)
(Federal)
Water/
Wastewater
(W/W) Financing
Program
Also see Oregon
Bond Bank
Eligible
Applicants
Cities, counties,
water districts,
private and non-
profit water
systems
(Statute)
Non-
metropolitan
cities & counties
(Statute)
Same as SPWF
(Statute)
Eligible Projects
Construct,
expand or
rehabilitate water
systems to
comply with the
Safe Drinking
Water Act.
(Statute)
Construct,
expand or
rehabilitate
public water &
sewer systems to
meet federal and
state mandates
(Federal statutes
allow other
projects, but state
rules limit
proj ects to the
above.)
Construct
areawide water &
wastewater
improvements.
(Statute)
Mandated by
EPA, State
Health Division
orDEQ.
(State statute
allows other
projects. Rules
limit uses.)
Loans
Up to $2 million
in direct loans.
(Rule)
None
(Statute)
$500,000
maximum.
Works with
Oregon Bond
Bank (below)
(Rule)
Grants
None
(Statute)
$750,000
maximum, up to
100% of cost for
construction
(Rule)
Only when loans
are not feasible.
(statute)
Up to $500,000.
(Rule)
Technical
Assistance
Loans for
planning,
preliminary
engineering, final
design and
specifications.
(Statute)
Grants for
preliminary
engineering,
preparation of
master plans, and
other applicable
engineering
studies
(Statute)
Same as SPWF
(Statute)
Criteria
Projects must
assist a system in
complying with
the Safe Drinking
Water Act. Must
submit a Letter of
Interest for
consideration.
(Statute)
Area served by
project must be at
least 5 1 % low-
and moderate-
income residents.
Grants are from
federal funds.
Projects must
meet a number of
federal
requirements.
(Statute)
Must be out of
compliance with
federal or state
rule, regulation
or permit.
(Rule)
How To Apply
Periodic ranking
process
(Statute)
Phone:
(503) 986-0123
Year round
Phone:
(503) 986-0123
Year round
Phone:
(503) 986-0123
C-7
-------
Table (continued)
Program
Special Public
Works Fund
(SPWF)
Also see Oregon
Bond Band
Includes
Community
Facilities
Account
Oregon Bond
Bank
(Apart of the
SPWF and WAV/
above)
Eligible
Applicants
Cities, counties,
ports, water &
sewer districts,
Indian tribes.
(Statute)
Same as SPWF
(Statute)
Eligible Projects
Construct and
expand public
water & sewer
systems, roads,
rail lines, docks,
and airport
facilities, leading
to business
location or
expansion.
Construct and
expand
community
facilities.
(Statute)
Same as SPWF
and WAV/
(Statute)
Loans
$1 million
maximum, up to
100% of cost,
with firm
business
commitment.
Estimate of 6.0%
interest.
(Rule)
Up to 25-year
term.
(Statute)
Works with
Oregon Bond
Bank (below)
$10 million
maximum. Up to
100% of cost,
market interest
rate.
(Rule)
Up to 25-year
term. Recipients
must be
creditworthy.
(Statute)
Grants
Only when loans
are not feasible.
Up to $500,000
with a firm
business
commitment and
$10,000 per job.
Up to $250,000
for distressed
areas.
(Rule)
No direct grant
for community
facilities
(Statute)
Cost of issuance
and debt service
reserve paid.
(Rule)
Technical
Assistance
Up to $10,000
grant for $20,000
loan for
preliminary
engineering.
Must be less than
5,000 population.
(Statute)
None
(Rule)
Criteria
$10,000 per job,
30% of new jobs
must be family -
wagejobs.
Oregon
Economic and
Community
Development
Department has a
list of distressed
areas.
(Rule)
These loans are
made in
conjunction with
the SPWF and
W/W.
(Statute)
How To Apply
Year round
Phone:
(503) 986-0123
Year round
Phone:
(503) 986-0123
Source: Information sheet provided by Oregon Economic and Community Development Department
-------
ATTACHMENT 3
Staff Report on Oregon Disadvantaged System
Case study provided by Oregon
Carlton, Oregon Water/Wastewater Financing Program, Safe Drinking Water Revolving
Loan Fund
Application Number APP532
Amount: $2,648,625
Purpose: Design and Construction of Water System Improvements
Recommendation:
Amount Requested
Direct Loan
Water/Wastewater Grant
Total
Other Funds
Total Project Cost
Non-Cash Grant
Amount Requested
$2,545,625 (100%)
2,545,625 (100%)
135,000
$2,680,625
Amount Recommended
$1,988,625 (75%)
660,000 (25%)
2,848,625 (100%)
135,000
$2,783,625
0
Need:
On June 24, 1994, Carlton was issued a Notice and Violation and Remedial Order from
the Oregon State Health Division. The Order was issued to the city for the drinking water
systems inability to treat water in conformance with the Safe Drinking Water Act's
Surface Water Treatment Rule requirements. The order requires the city to provide
filtration and disinfection that meets these requirements.
Solution:
The city will design and construct a new treatment plant, chlorine contact facilities,
transmission main and a treated water storage reservoir. This project is in conformance
with the city's Water Master Plan which was approved by the Oregon Health Division on
September 9, 1997. The city needs to obtain the necessary funding to implement the
improvements.
Financial Need:
Please refer to the Financial Analysis prepared by Tom Meek at the end of this staff
report.
Disadvantaged Community:
The Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund has established guidelines for
determining eligibility for disadvantaged status. Carlton meets this criteria. A waiver
C-9
-------
dated April 15, 1999, was approved by the department to allow the Disadvantaged
Community Status.
Waiver Needed
The maximum grant under the Water/Wastewater Financing Program is $500,000. The
proposed financing package for this project includes a $660,000 grant from the
Water/Wastewater Financing Program. The waiver is approved and enclosed with this
staff report.
Conditions Of Award:
Based upon the following analysis, we recommend that the City of Carlton ("Borrower")
be awarded
$2,648,625, consisting of a $1,988,625 direct loan from the Safe Drinking Water
Revolving Loan
Fund, and a grant of $660,000 from the Water/Wastewater Financing Program, subject to
the following conditions:
1. The Loan shall be payable from the General Fund of the Borrower and shall
be a lull faith and credit obligation of the Borrower, which is payable from any
taxes which the Borrower may levy within the limitations of Article XI of the
Oregon Constitution.
2. The principal of and interest on the Loan shall be payable from the revenues
of the: Borrower's Utility System ("System") which remain after payment of
operation and maintenance costs of the System (the "Net Revenues"). The
Borrower hereby grants t~ the State a security interest in and irrevocably pledges
its Net Revenues to pay all of the obligations owed by the Borrower to the State
under the Loan Agreement. Pursuant to ORS 288.594, the pledge of the Net
Revenues hereby made by the Borrower shall be valid and binding from the date
of this Loan Agreement.
3. The borrower shall not incur any obligations payable from or secured by alien
on and pledge of the Net Revenues that is superior to the Loan.
4. The Borrower shall not incur any obligations payable from or secured by a
lien on and pledge of the Net Revenues that is on a parity with the Loan unless the
Net Revenues exceed one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the annual debt
service on the Loan and the additional obligations proposed to be issued by the
borrower. Prior to the issuance of any obligations that are proposed to be issued
on a parity with the Loan, the Borrower shall deliver to the department a
certificate demonstrating that the requirements of this paragraph are satisfied.
5. The Borrower shall charge rates and fees in connection with the operation of
the System which, when combined with other gross revenues, are adequate to
generate Net Revenues each fiscal year at least equal to one hundred twenty
percent (120%) of the annual debt service due in the fiscal year on the Loan and
any additional obligations issued on a parity with the loan pursuant to paragraph 4
above.
6. The Borrower may establish a debt service reserve fund to secure obligations
that are issued on a parity with the Loan pursuant to paragraph 4 above, provided
that such debt service reserve fund is not pledged to the payment of the debt
service on such obligations unless the Net Revenues of the System are deposited
into such debt service reserve fund only after provision is made for the payment
of debt service on the Loan during the current fiscal year.
C- 10
-------
7. The Net Revenues pledged pursuant to paragraph 2 above and hereafter
received by the Borrower shall immediately be subject to the lien of such pledge
without physical delivery or further act, and the lien of the pledge shall be
superior to all other claims and liens whatsoever, except as provided in paragraph
3 above, to the fullest extent permitted by ORS 288.594. The Borrower hereby
represents and warrants that the pledge of Net Revenues hereby made by the
Borrower complies with, and shall be valid and binding from the date hereof
pursuant to OF.S 288.594.
8. The Loan shall amortize for a period of 30 years.
9. The Loan interest rate shall be 1%.
10. The Borrower shall adopt a water rate increase, effective no later than the
completion of the Project, which will be adequate to cover the operation and
maintenance costs of the improved System, all debt service (including the Loan)
and any required debt reserves for obligations secured by the Net Revenues of the
System, and any set-asides for System replacements. The Borrower shall deliver
to the State a copy of the ordinance or resolution of the governing body of the
Borrower, certified by an Authorized Officer of the Borrower, which authorized
such rate increase.
11. From and after the completion of the Project, Borrower shall set and maintain
water rates for water supplied by the System that generate revenues sufficient to
cover (i) the operation and maintenance costs of the improved System, (ii) all debt
service (including the Loan) and any required debt reserves for obligations
secured by the Net Revenues of the System, and (iii) any set-asides for System
replacements. The Borrower shall deliver to the State a copy of the ordinance or
resolution of the governing body of the Borrower, certified by an Authorized
Officer of the Borrower, which authorized such rates.
If the residential water rates set by Borrower at construction completion or within
5 years are not at or above the statewide average of $30.71 per 7,500 gallons, the
parties agree that the terms of the Loan and Note shall, as of the Project
completion date, be modified as follows:
(i) the Loan shall accrue interest at the rate of four and one tenth
percent (4,1%) per annum and
(ii) the Loan shall be reamortized so that it shall fully amortize by the
twentieth anniversary of the Loan Closing Date.
Except as so modified, the terms of the Loan and the Note shall remain the same.
At Lender's request, Borrower shall execute and deliver to Lender such additional
agreements documents and instruments as Lender deems necessary to reflect the
change in the terms of the Loan and Note described above. Such additional
agreements, documents and instruments may include, but are not limited to, an
amendment to the Note or a replacement note.
12. The scope of work for this project must include the preparation and
implementation of two six month rounds of lead and copper testing at the
customer tap, quarterly testing for nitrates, and a test for inorganics. The project
C- 11
-------
must also include the development of a written monitoring plan and coliform
monitoring plan and site map, an Emergency operations Plan, Water Conservation
Program Plan, Cross Connection Program and an overall Water System
Operations Manual. In addition the operator in responsible charge must be
certified for water treatment at the correct level for the new treatment plant to be
constructed within six months of commencement of operation, as required by the
letter dated April 27, 1999, from the Oregon Health Division.
13. The obligation of the State to make any disbursement(s) under the Loan
Agreement is subject to receipt by the State of documentation of the following, all
in form and substance satisfactory to the State:
A. Approval of the project for construction by the appropriate state
regulatory agency.
B. Binding commitment(s) for all funds necessary to carry out the
project.
C. Engineering Agreement for the project.
14. The project may not be advertised for bid by the Borrower unless the State
has received the following documentation:
A. Oregon Health Division approval of the construction plans and
specifications for the project.
B. At least ten (10) days before advertising for bids, bid documents
must be sent to the state for review and approval by the State.
15. The Borrower shall provide a bid tabulation and notice of award following
the selection of the successful bidder for the project.
C- 12
-------
X Approve project and recommendation as submitted
Approve project and recommendation with the following modifications:
Betty Pongracz, Manager
Valley/Mid-Coast Team
6/10/99
_Approve project and recommendation as submitted
X Approve project and recommendation with the following modifications:
Subject to waiver of $500,000 grant maximum from Water/Wastewater Fund to allow
$660,000 grant.
Yvonne L. Addington, Manager
Finance Team
6/10/99
C- 13
-------
The project analysis and engineering feasibility sections of this report were prepared by
Mary Baker. The financial feasibility section of this report was prepared by Tom Meek.
Please refer to the enclosed final application from the City of Carlton for more
information.
Project Description:
On June 24, 1994, the City of Carlton received a Notice of Violation and Remedial Order
from the Oregon Health Division. The order was issued to the city for the drinking water
systems inability to treat water that meets the Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
More specifically the flocculation and treatment stages of the treatment process cannot
treat water adequately at designed flows, the filtered water turbidity of 1.0 NTU may not
be able to be achieved from both filters and the disinfection contact time is insufficient.
Overall, the treatment plant is credited with a 1.25 log reduction and the disinfection
process is credited with a 0.57 log-reduction of particulate matter and Giardia lamblia
cysts. A 3.0 log reduction is required and the plant can only achieve a 1.82 log-reduction.
The Order required the city to construct the needed improvements to bring the system
into compliance by July 1, 1995. The Oregon Health Division is working with the city to
extend the compliance date identified in the Remedial Order.
With the assistance of a $30,000 Community Development Block Grant the city hired
KPFF Consulting Engineers to prepare a Water System Master Plan. This plan was
approved by the Oregon Health Division on September 9, 1997. The plan identifies a
larger improvement project but the city has only selected to construct the $2,783,625
project which is needed to achieve compliance and meet the current needs of the
community. The remaining improvements needed for future capacity building total
$554,840 are not part of this project.
The Master Plan identified the Community Development Block Grant program as one
source of design and construction funding. However, eligibility with this program has not
been determined. The city's water system serves the East Carlton Water Association and
the Valley View Water District. In order to qualify for the Community Development
Block Grant program, the entire service area, including the outside water district and
association must be comprised of primarily low to moderate income persons. This
information has not been obtained at this time.
Eligibility:
Carlton submitted a "Letter of Interest" for the 1997 (SD066) and 1998 (SD205) funding
wider the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund. Their requests were reviewed and
both scored high enough and were selected for the 1997 and 1998 funding cycles. The
final amount recommended of $1,988.625 will come from the 1997 program year.
C- 14
-------
Engineering Feasibility:
General Background:
The Water Mater Plan was prepared by KPFF Consulting Engineers and approved by the
Oregon Health Division. The project includes a 500,000-gallon clear well, a one-million-
gallon-per-day treatment plant, replacement of a 10 inch transmission main with 9,400
lineal feet of 16 inch main line, and a one-million-gallon treated water reservoir. The
proposed design and construction engineering fees are calculated to be 10.1% of the
construction plus construction contingency costs. These fees are reasonable.
Proposed Improvements:
The Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund will be combined with $135,000 of local
funds and one other unidentified source of funds to complete the financing package for
this project.
Activity
Legal
Final Design
Construction Engineering
Administration
Treatment Plant
Clear Well
Property Acquisition
Transmission Main
Reservoir
Construction Contingency
(10%)
TOTAL
Safe Drinking Water
Revolving Loan Fund
0
175,000
55,625
0
570,000
270,000
0
750,000
600,000
228,000
$2,648,625
Local
10,000
0
0
15,000
90,000
0
20,000
0
0
0
$135,000
Total
10,000
175,000
55,625
15,000
660,000
270,000
20,000
750,000
600,000
228,000
$2,783,625
Readiness to Proceed:
The city anticipates commencing with design by May 1999 and hopefully begin
construction by March 2000. The city will need to secure all sources of funds for the
construction project before this project is advertised for bid
Environmental Review Board:
The Oregon Health Division will have to prepare and process an environmental review
record for the project before any construction funds can be released from this Safe
Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund award.
C- 15
-------
Loan Administration:
The city will retain the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments to administer the
project.
The Council of Governments will be procured through an intergovernmental agreement.
Engineering:
The engineering firm to perform the design and construction engineering will be procured
according to state law.
Land Use Compatability:
The raw water intake structure, raw water storage, treatment plant and most of the
transmission line are located outside the city's urban growth boundary. All the proposed
water system improvements are consistent with the city's land use comprehensive plan.
The city may have to obtain a Conditional Use Permit from Yamhill County for the one
acre of land to be acquired for the new reservoir.
Prevailing Wage Rates:
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries wage rates (BOLI), and labor standards
provisions will apply to this project.
Land Acquisition:
One acre of land needs to be acquired for the new reservoir. The acquisition of this laud
must comply with the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property
Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended.
Recommendation by Source:
Sources
Water/Wastewater Financing Program
Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan
Fund
Grant
Loan
City Funds
Total
$660,000
$1,988,625
$135,000
$2,783,625
Uses
Construction
Engineering
Administration
Legal
Construction
Contingency
Land Acquisition
Total
$2,280,000
$230,625
$15,000
$10,000
$228,000
$20,000
$2,783,625
C- 16
-------
Findings:
The Valley/Mid-Coast Team and the Finance Team have investigated the Safe Drinking
Water Revolving Loan Fund and Water/Wastewater Financing Program project discussed
in this report, and on behalf of the Oregon Economic Development Department, finds
that the infrastructure project complies with ORS 285B.560 through 285B.599.
Financial Structure
Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, Direct Loan
Water/wastewater Financing Program, Grant
Total Award
$1,988,625
$660,000
$2,648,625
The loan will be secured with a pledge of the Utility Fund. The loan will also be secured
by the city's full faith and credit pledge of its General Fund subject to the limitations of
Article XI of the Oregon Constitution.
History/Methodology /Waiver of Guidelines:
Carlton originally applied for a Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund loan of
$1,825,625.
By the end of April, the size of the Carlton loan had increased to $1,988,625 for a cost
per user of approximately $103 per year. The city consented to this financing plan.
Carlton is a poor community. Of its population, 54.8% is of low and moderate income.
Regardless of the justification for rate increases, rate increases must be minimized, and
ad the methods available to minimize the impact of rate increases must be maximized.
See Waiver of Guidelines, enclosed.
In the meantime, by mid-May the Carlton award had increased to $2,648,625 because of
the Health Division's addition of a new reservoir. It is estimated that the total project cost
will be $2,783,625. The remaining $135,000 will be funded by local city funds.
By making a grant of $660,000, the need to keep user rates at an affordable level can be
accommodated.
Financial Summary
A financial summary for the city is enclosed, The city has managed its resources with
frugality and
has limited its debt load, It has one direct debt obligation dating from 1990 when the city
issued General Obligation Swimming Pool Bonds to finance the demolition and
reconstruction of a swimming pool. The city can redeem these bonds on or after
December 1, 2000 with the final scheduled maturity in 2006.
C- 17
-------
Disadvantaged Community Status:
a. Rates: The city now charges a base rate of $21 for inside city users and $23
for outside city users, with a third rate of $14.87 for users on the Valley View
system, a private association of 41 residential owners located outside the city limits.
Our award is conditional upon adoption of water rates adequate to cover operation,
maintenance, debt service reserves, and set asides, estimated in excess of $31 per
7,500 gallons per month.
b. Debt per capita: With the addition of this debt, per capita debt for the Utility
Fund will be approximately $1,165, which is above our disadvantaged community
threshold of $500.00,
c. Income: Of the city's residents, 54.8% are low and moderate income. This
indicator is above our guideline for a disadvantaged community, which is that at
least 51% of the community must be of low and moderate income.
d. Disaster area: The residents have not documented a financial burden due to a
recent national or state declared disaster.
e. Conclusion: The community is considered a disadvantaged community.
Operation of the Utility Fund:
a. Does the water system produce an annual budget?
Yes. Annual budgets are required by Oregon law. Rates charged by the city and the
cash needs of the Utility Fund are reviewed as part of this process.
b. Does this water system undertake periodic financial audits?
Yes. Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports are required by Oregon Law and are
completed by the city on a fiscal basis.
c. Connections:
The system has 744 connections, which does not meet our bond bank guideline of at least
1,500. This represents some risk to the system repayment due to the impact of the loss of
users representing a larger percentage of the system revenue than it would for a larger
system.
C- 18
-------
d. Review of the Utility (Enterprise) Fund:
The table below reviews the performance of the combined Utility (Water and Sewer)
Fund and Utility (Water and Sewer) Debt Service Fund for the last three years:
Performance Review
Beginning Fund Balance
Operating Revenues
Operating Expenditures
Non-Operating Revenues
Transfers
Ending Fund Balance
Income Before Transfers
1996
$ 544,516
306,431
(407,761)
6,979
0
450,165
(94,351)
1997
$ 450,165
351,131
(351,901)
6,186
0
455,581
5,416
1998
$ 455,581
448,527
(315,040)
12,091
0
601,159
145,578
| Operating Ratio
I
0.70:1
In 1998, revenues increased, reflecting a 3.5% water rate increase and a renegotiated
contract with the Valley View Water District. While 1997 and 1998 Enterprise Fund
operations provided revenues sufficient to cover expenses, the 1996 statement indicates a
net loss of $94,351 centered primarily in increased operating supplies and maintenance
expenses. A non-operating source of funds ($36,485 annually) was derived from
depreciation of fixed assets acquired by a federal grant, and is included in the Non-
operating revenues shown above.
These funds carry approximately $843,125 in self supporting debt at the present time.
Annual debt service on an Oregon Water Resources Department Water System Revenue
Bond, issued in 1984 to construct a water treatment facility, was $16,006 in 1998 and
increases each year until it is paid out in 2005. A Rural Economic and Community
Development Revenue Installment Sewer pond, issued in 1992, required $10,373
principal payment in 1998, with annual principal payment increases until it is paid out in
2012. It was used along with a State Revolving Fund Loan for improvements to the city's
sewer system. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality State Revolving Fund
Loan was reduced by $12,506 in 1998 with payout in 2012. 1998 principal payments
totaled $38,885. Revenues for these payments were collected from taxes and user fees.
At the close of the year Jane 30,1998, the combined enterprise funds had a cash and cash
equivalents balance of $337,964, which is more than twelve months operating expenses,
based on that year's financial report.
The three-year average of external revenues to total revenues is 27.39%, which fails to
meet our guideline of 20% or less.
Net Direct Debt Service, which was created by swimming pool reconstruction, was
5.44% of General Fund Revenues, which is above our guidelines of 5% or less.
The 82% of debt scheduled to be retired in the next ten years meets our guideline of at
least 60%.
C- 19
-------
The city estimates Water Fund balances, revenues and expenses upon completion of the
project as follows:
Total number of Equivalent Dwelling Units
Estimated rate per Equivalent Dwelling Unit
Total Revenue (annual) 24,850 x 12 months =
Personal Services
Materials and supplies
Existing Debt Service
Cash available
Payments for $1,988,625 at 1% for 30 years
Funds available after debt service
744
$32.39
$298,200
$114,593
$61,400
$37,302
$84,905
$77,055
$7,850
| Debt Service Coverage Ratio
I
TIT]
The city meets the required debt service coverage ratio for a Safe Drinking Water
Revolving Loan Fund loan of 1.1:1.
Rates/Affordability/Interest Rate:
After completion of the project, upon full implementation of our required rate covenant
and debt service of $77,055 per year, it is estimated that average monthly rate per
Equivalent Dwelling Unit will be $3,239 per month.
These tables measure the affordability of the city's suggested rates:
A Measure of Affordability
Probable rate at completion
Rate
32.39
County Per Capita Income/Month
$1,694.17
Index
1.91%
A Measure of Affordability
Probable rate at completion
Rate
32.39
Three-Person Household Low Income
Threshold/Month
$1,858.33
Index
1.74%
A Measure of Affordability | Rate
Median Household Income/Month
Index
Probable rate at completion | 32.39
$2,124.42
1.52%
A typical affordability range utilized by many states is from 1.25 to 1.75%. The project as
originally proposed exceeded this range and the rates could not be considered affordable.
However, the city had stated that its ratepayers would pay the rates necessary to fund
annual debt service of $77,055 and requested that the department proceed on that basis.
This analysis distinguishes income measures for purposes of disadvantaged community
status and income measures for purposes of affordability. The distinction that the
Amendments draw between "advantaged" and "disadvantaged" is apparently aimed at the
ability of the community to raise capital. Hence, given the myriad of ways a community
can raise capital, measuring a median is relevant.
The Financial Capacity Assessment tools implemented by most states also require that
"affordability" be measured. Median household income is halfway between the rich and
poor. Water rates are the most regressive method of raising funds available to a
C-20
-------
community. Hence, the ability of the rich to "afford" a given rate is irrelevant. A more
relevant measure of affordability is the impact of a given rate on low income ratepayers.
The department has recently refined its analysis on how to measure "affordability." We
have always used per capita county income to measure affordability. We now measure
affordability against the low-income threshold as well. The impact of rates and rate
increases always fall heaviest on the poor.
As mentioned above, 54.8% ofCarlton's population is of low and moderate income.
Moreover, because it is believed that the extant project does not solve all of the city's
drinking water problems, the ratepayers may well have to incur more debt in the near
future.
Holding annual debt service on this loan to $77,055 ameliorates, albeit minimally, cash
demands on ratepayers of limited means.
In order to hold the annual debt service at $77,055, the maximum loan the department
can make is $1,988,625. This in turn necessitates a grant of $660,000 and a waiver of the
department's Water/Wastewater Financing Program Guidelines. See enclosed.
Creditworthiness Criteria:
A list of the indicators of creditworthiness for the city is enclosed. Out of 20 applicable
indicators, the city meets 16.
The three-year average of external revenues to total revenues is indicated as 27.39%
which is above our 20% guideline. This number has declined during the three years
averaged, from 28.11% to 25.94% in 1998.
Net Direct Debt Service is 5.44% of General Fund Revenues, above our guideline of 5%.
This debt service is due to swimming pool removal and reconstruction and is scheduled
to be retired in 2006. The % of debt to be retired in 10 years is projected at approximately
82.18%, easily meeting our guideline of a minimum of 60%.
This system has 744 connections, which is below our guideline of 1,500, and the top ten
ratepayers account for 15.78% of the total revenues for 1997 compared to our guideline
of 15%. These measures indicate some risk associated with the loss of any major
ratepayers to the total revenues of the system. The top ten ratepayers include a water
district with 41 residences, a trailer park, an apartment building, and an elementary
school, which tend to mitigate this risk due to multiple users involved with each entity.
There are two commercial users in this group, a meat packer and a poultry farm, but their
water usage is proportionally much higher than their rates and expected, to remain at
current levels.
The last three years average of accounts receivable is 28.74% of revenues compared to
our 15% guideline. This ratio has declined from 40.51% in 1996 to 15.95% in 1998,
trending toward our guideline, and indicating a reduction in the risk associated with high
accounts receivable balances and slow turn times.
The unemployment rate for the area is 4.10% which is below the state average of 5.10%.
C-21
-------
The city's per capita income is $20,330, which is 87.97% of the state per capita income
and above our guideline of 85% of the state average.
The financial analysis of Carlton indicates meeting 16 of the 20 guidelines, and
represents an acceptable risk for the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.
Need for Grant Funds:
A loan of $1,988,625 leaves a shortfall of $660,000. The project qualifies for a grant of
$660,000 from the Water/Wastewater Financing Program. The award should contain a
grant of $660,000 from the Water/Wastewater Financing Program, subject to waiver of
the Water/Wastewater Financing Program Guidelines. See enclosed.
Security:
As security for the loan, the city will offer a pledge of its Utility Fund. The department's
interest in the Utility Fund would be at parity with the Oregon Water Resources
Department Water System Revenue Bond issued in 1984, the Rural Economic and
Community Development Revenue Installment Sewer Bond issued in 1992, the State
Revolving Fund Loan, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality State
Revolving Fund Loan. The loan documents will contain coverage requirements to protect
our interests in regard to other loans.
The city will also offer its full faith and credit pledge of its General Fund subject to the
limitations of Article XI of the Oregon Constitution.
The security is adequate.
Cost Comparison:
In the following table, we compare funding through the department's program to
financing the city would obtain without the department's program;
Comparison
Project Amount
Grant Amount
Debt Service Reserve
Issuance Costs
Total Loan Amount
Interest Rate
Term (in years)
Payment
Interest Earnings
Total Payments
Total Anticipated Savings
Safe Drinking Water
Revolving Loan Fund
$2,648,625
660,000
0
0
$1,968625
1.00%
30
$77,055
0
$2,311,650
$2,101,050
Non-Safe Drinking Water
Revolving Loan Fund
$2,648,625
0
264,863 52,973
$2,966,461
5.35%
30
$161,260
$14,170
$4,412,700
C-22
-------
Summary/Issues
I recommend the $1,988,625 Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund arid $660,000
Water/Wastewater Financing Program award for the City of Carlton.
Enclosures:
Underwriting Indicators
Final Application
Loan Amortization Schedule
C-23
-------
This page intentionally left blank.
C-24
-------
Public Works
2000 - Survey
Water System Applicant:
Instructions:
This water system may be eligible for a lower interest rate for a DWSRF loan to
rehabilitate the water system. In order to quality for the reduced rate, a majority of
residents served by the water system must have incomes that are below the county's
median income level.
To determine if the water system qualifies, a random sample of residents must complete
the survey form below and return it to the Public Works Board. You have been selected
to participate in that survey. The survey is anonymous, and we request that you help us
retain that status by returning the survey in the enclosed envelope and not add any
identifying information.
Survey Questions
1. Does this household receive its drinking water from the system?
Yes No (If no, then do not answer any other questions)
1. How many people live in this household?
3. What was the household's total income during 1999?
• The number of people in the household should equal the number of people who lived
in the residence for at least six months of the year.
• The income reported here should be the same as reported on tax returns.
Thank you for your time and assistance. Please call John LaRocque at
(360) 586-2523 if you have any questions about this survey or the DWSRF.
The Washington Public Works Board's Income Survey procedure is as follows:
1) Borrower (water system) provides a mailing list of customers.
2) Public Works Board picks a random sample from the list.
3) If the "universe" is less than 100, the Board requires at least 25 responses; if the
universe is more than 100, the Board requires fifty responses. (If response rate is too
low, surveys will be re-mailed, but a second mailing has not been necessary to date.)
4) The Board mails the surveys, collects them, and tabulates the results.
C-25
------- |