Did you know that the Texas Water Development Board offers a program that could help our community build and maintain a healthier water and sewer system? It’s called the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Loan Program. It’s a mouthful of a name, but it could be a game-changer for our community. Here are three things you need to know about the CWSRF Loan Program.
What the CWSRF Loan Program Can Do for Your Community
The CWSRF Loan Program is like a toolbox. It provides the tools we need to plan, acquire, design, and build infrastructure for wastewater, reuse, and stormwater. It’s like a helping hand that can help us build and fix our sewer system, make our water cleaner and healthier, and even manage stormwater to prevent flooding.
The best part? This isn’t just for big cities. Even rural communities like ours can apply for this program.
Who Can Apply and What Projects Can be Funded
Now you might be thinking, “That sounds great, but can our community apply?” The answer is yes! Cities, counties, districts, river authorities, and even tribal organizations can apply. This program is designed to help communities like ours take care of our water and sewer systems.
There are a lot of things we can use this funding for. It could be used for building or improving wastewater treatment facilities, fixing our water and sewer pipes, and even managing nonpoint source pollution – that’s the pollution that comes from many places, like when rain washes dirt and chemicals into our streams and rivers.
Loans and Grants Available
This part is exciting! The CWSRF Loan Program offers loans and principal forgiveness. What’s principal forgiveness? It’s like a part of your loan you don’t have to pay back – sort of like a grant.
The interest rates are below the usual rates, which means we can save money. If our project is really important and meets certain criteria, we might even qualify for principal forgiveness. That could mean that up to 70% of our loan might not need to be paid back!
Plus, there’s a chance for our community to receive extra funding if we’re using environmentally friendly technologies in our project.
Imagine what we could do for our water and sewer system with that kind of help!
Let’s not forget that there are some requirements to be eligible for this program. For instance, we would need to submit a Project Information Form, follow specific wage rates, and for big projects, adopt a Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan.
Now, isn’t it amazing what we could achieve with the help of the CWSRF Loan Program? It’s opportunities like these that can help us improve our water and sewer systems and make our community an even better place to live. If you’re interested in learning more, let’s start a conversation about how we can take advantage of this program. We’re all in this together, and every drop counts!