U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water State Revolving Fund Eligible Uses Planning, Design, and Construction Assistance for Water Quality and Public Health Protection Projects At a Glance Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs provide more than $5 billion annually. They fund a wide variety of water quality projects including many types of nonpoint source, watershed protection or restoration, and estuary management projects. They pay for more traditional municipal wastewater conveyance and treatment projects. The CWSRF programs loan money to communities. Loan repayments go back into the program to fund additional projects. This cycle provides for an ongoing funding source. CWSRF assistance qualifies as non-federal and non-state match funds for FEMA grants. Key features of the program include: • Low Interest Rates, Flexible Terms—in 2010, national interest rates for CWSRF loans averaged 1.9 percent. Market rates were 4.4 percent. This means CWSRF- funded projects cost 21 percent less than projects funded at the market rate. CWSRFs fund up to 100 percent of the eligible project cost. They provide flexible repayment terms up to 20 years for loans and longer maturities under extended-term financing. • Other types of assistance, including the guaranty and purchase of local debt obligations. Some CWSRFs offer additional subsidies in the form of principal forgiveness, negative interest and grants. • Partnerships with Other Funding Sources—CWSRF programs work with banks, nonprofits, local governments, and other federal and state agencies to provide the best water quality financing source for their communities. Receivers The CWSRF programs have helped a range of borrowers. These include municipalities, communities of all sizes, farmers, homeowners, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Eligible Activities Project eligibility varies by state. Eligible loan recipients can be communities, individuals, citizens" groups, and nonprofit organizations. States rate and rank each project. Selected projects appear in annual Intended Use Plans. Such plans are available for public review. Cost Sharing Federal government grants and state matching funds (equal to 20 percent of federal government grants) provide funds to the programs. Applications Application requirements vary according to each state's rules. State programs are in the link below. More Sources and Contact Information EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) http: //www. epa. gov/cwsrf This is taken from the U.S. EPA's website on Federal Funding for Utilities - Water/Waste water - in National Disasters (Fed FUNDS). ------- |