Funding for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems Through CWSRF
Posted on by Carl Thompson, P.E.
Approximately one in four American households rely on some form of decentralized wastewater treatment system. The impacts of non-existent or malfunctioning systems can include illness, and environmental degradation in communities. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) provides financing resources for upgrading decentralized wastewater treatment systems throughout the United States.
Lack of wastewater infrastructure and malfunctioning systems are a contributor to water quality impairment from pathogens (e.g., E. coli) in the United States. On December 19, 2021, “60 Minutes” aired a segment featuring Lowndes County, Alabama. Lowndes County has been the subject of a public health crisis involving wastewater for some time. Infiltrator’s Regulatory Director, Dave Lentz, P.E., was interviewed by the producer of this segment for background on regulations and laws surrounding onsite wastewater treatment systems. CWSRF programs are designed to help communities like Lowndes County improve their wastewater infrastructure leading to improved quality of life for the community.
Watch "60 Minutes" Segment Featuring Lowndes County
The CWSRF programs throughout the United States (including Puerto Rico) operate like banks. Federal and state contributions are used to capitalize the programs. These assets are used to make low- or no-interest loans for important water quality projects. Funds are then repaid to the CWSRFs over terms as long as 30 years and are recycled to fund other water quality and public health projects. A complete list of CWSRF state programs can be found here.
Projects that may be eligible for CWSRF funding include:
- New wastewater treatment system installation (single and cluster systems).
- Replacement, upgrade, or modification of inadequate decentralized wastewater treatment systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency has developed this guide as a source of information for utilizing the program for financing decentralized wastewater treatment system upgrades.
About the Author:
Carl Thompson, P.E.
Vice President Sales and Delta Advanced
Carl Thompson is responsible for sales, Delta Advanced, and the science and government affairs divisions at Infiltrator. He has been with Infiltrator since 1997. Prior to his current role, Carl held several positions at Infiltrator including regulatory director and technical director. Prior to joining Infiltrator, Carl spent nine years in technical sales, marketing, and management roles at Contech Construction Products. Carl serves on several national boards including the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) and the U.S. EPA Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB). Carl is a registered professional civil engineer and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, a MS in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and an MBA from the University of Delaware.