Funding Programs
| Summary of Grant and Loan Programs for Drinking Water & Wastewater Projects |
| Public Works Trust Fund The Public Works Trust Fund (PWTF), also known as the Public Works Assistance Account, provides for low-interest loans and grants to counties, cities, and special purpose districts to repair, replace, or create infrastructure, including water and sewer facilities. Funding for the PWTF is authorized by the state legislature in the biennial budget and varies from year to year. Both the construction and pre-construction projects are eligible for PWTF loans and grants. In addition, emergency loans and grants are available to assist eligible communities experiencing the loss of critical public works services or facilities due to an emergency, and that can demonstrate a substantial fiscal need. Learn more about this funding opportunity at this link. |
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| Loan and grant awards are made by the Public Works Board. WASWD has two representatives on the PWB: Lora Petso, Commissioner of Olympic View Water & Sewer District and Justin Clary, General Manager of Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District. They provide reports on the Public Works Board meetings that are posted here. |
| Water Quality Funding Program The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) Water Quality Combined Funding Program is an integrated funding program for projects that improve and protect water quality throughout the state. The program combines grants and loans from state and federal funding sources including the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund (SRF) & Centennial Clean Water Fund. Funding for the program is authorized by the state legislature in the biennial budget and ranges from $100 to $200 million annually. Eligible projects include planning, design, and construction for sewer collection systems, treatment plants, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and reclaimed water facilities. More information is available on the Ecology website at this link. |
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| Drinking Water State Revolving Fund The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) makes funds available to drinking water systems to help pay for infrastructure improvements. This program is funded through federal and state money and is subject to state laws and additional federal regulations. Requirements include completion of cultural and environmental reviews, SEPA, Davis Bacon Act, Build America Buy America, loan management, construction management, and others. Funding is provided in grants and loans, depending on the purpose of the funding. It can provide funds for the following: planning and engineering; consolidation, restructuring, and regionalization; construction of capital improvements that increase public health and compliance with drinking water regulations; source water protection; and emergencies. More information is available on the DOH website at this link. |
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| Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) offered by the State Department of Commerce, funds utility improvements for affordable housing. The program makes affordable housing projects more viable and helps bring more affordable housing units online by covering the upfront costs of infrastructure to connect housing to municipal systems. CHIP can pay for onsite improvements and in the right of way for housing development. In addition, CHIP can be used to reimburse waived system development charges for the project. Applicants can apply for up to $1 million. More information is available on the program website . |
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| Environmental Infrastucture Loans The Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers loans to finance water and waste facility projects. Their Environmental Infrastructure Loans provide early funding for small rural communities under 50,000 people to determine project feasibility and to pay pre-development costs prior to receiving state and federal funding. More information is available on the program website . |
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| Economic Development Funding The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) provides funding for public infrastructure which supports private business growth and expansion. Two of their programs include funding for planning, acquisition, construction, repair, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, or improvement of eligible systems that include water and wastewater. The Committed Private Partner program offers loans and grants for construction of public infrastructure necessary for private business expansion and requires a private business commitment as part of the application. The Prospective Development program offers loans and grants in rural counties and communities if an economic feasibility study demonstrates that private business development is likely to occur as a result of the public improvements and there is evidence a project will lead to the creation of a significant number of permanent jobs or generate significant private capital investment. More information is available about these programs on the CERB website . |
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| The state Department of Commerce provides a summary list of funding resources in this document: Grant and Loan Programs for Drinking Water and Wastewater Projects. |
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