Overview
The Massachusetts DWSRF accepts rolling applications for activities that help public water systems (PWSs) inventory, plan, and fully replace lead service lines (LSLs) and galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) service lines, with an emphasis on full replacements (not partial).
Programs
0% Interest Rate Lead Service Line Construction Loans
Use construction loans to complete full LSL replacement and construction-phase investigations that require excavation or other invasive methods. Loan availability is time limited.
0% Interest Rate Lead Service Line Planning Loans
Use planning loans for inventory work, replacement planning, and program design needed to execute replacement. Loan availability is time limited.
Which loan fits your work?
Construction loans typically include:
- Full LSL replacement work (public and/or private side, depending on program design).
- Investigations that require excavation, test pits, curb stop work, or other invasive methods.
Planning loans typically include:
- Inventory development, refinement, and updating inventories (records review, data cleanup, mapping/GIS, and customer outreach programs/workflows).
- Prioritization approaches, replacement plan development, and other LSL-related planning activities.
To apply, please complete the application on MassDEP’s website
Current LSL Construction Projects
Loan Forgiveness
For DWSRF LSL projects, loan forgiveness ranges from 6.6% to 19.8%. Additional subsidy sources may increase total assistance depending on fund availability.
Environmentally Disadvantaged Community (EDC).The Massachusetts DWSRF introduced the EDC designation for certain LSL DWSRF projects that do not meet the Disadvantaged Community definition. EDC eligibility is time limited and determined on a project-to-project basis. EDC additional funds are limited to federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act lead remediation sources.
How the SRF can help
- Update your service line inventory, including resolving unknowns and documenting service line connector materials to meet baseline inventory requirements.
- Develop or update your LSL replacement plan and get ready to execute.
- Complete LSL replacement through construction, with an emphasis on full replacements (not partial).
- Meet transparency expectations by making inventory and program information publicly accessible.
Inventories are intended to be living documents, with annual updates submitted to MassDEP and made publicly available. Yearly updates are the responsibility of the public water system as a maintenance and operations expense; SRF financing is not typically available for this ongoing task.
SRF Resources
About the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI)
LCRI compliance highlights
- Initial service line inventory: due October 16, 2024 (retained from the 2021 LCRR).
- Baseline service line inventory and replacement plan: due November 1, 2027.
- Mandatory replacement: systems must start replacement programs no later than November 1, 2027; for most systems, complete replacement is required within 10 years, with limited exceptions. Partial replacements are generally not allowed.
EPA finalized updates to the federal Lead and Copper Rule in 2021 and finalized the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) in October 2024. The LCRI strengthens requirements intended to reduce lead exposure, accelerate replacement, and improve transparency.
What the LCRI requires:
- Accelerated replacement: For the first time, most water systems must complete full LSL replacement within 10 years, regardless of whether the system exceeds the lead action level at the 90th percentile.
- Updated living inventories: Systems must develop a baseline service line inventory by November 1, 2027, building on the initial inventory due October 16, 2024. The baseline inventory includes additional information (including connectors, where present) and must be kept up to date. Systems serving more than 50,000 people must make inventories available online.
- Replacement plans: Systems with at least one LSL, GRR, or unknown service line must submit a service line replacement plan by November 1, 2027, including prioritization, communication strategies, and a funding approach.
- Stronger sampling and earlier intervention: The LCRI lowers the lead action level to 10 ppb and updates sampling protocols and public communication expectations.
Lead Service Line Inventory
Eligible planning activities include completing or improving a comprehensive inventory for both public and private/customer-owned service lines. Inventory submissions must follow MassDEP’s electronic reporting format (or an approved alternate format).
MassDEP Resources:
- MassDEP LCRI overview
- MassDEP Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
- Massachusetts Service Line Inventories hub site
- LCRR LSL Inventories: An Infographic
- Massachusetts LSL Identification (MA-LSLI) Web App
LSL Grant and Technical Assistance Recipients
The following table is retained for historical tracking purposes. Massachusetts SRF is not providing new LSL Inventory Grants.
Glossary of Terms
- LCRR - Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
- LSL - Lead Service Line
- MassDEP - Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
- PWS - Public Water Supplier
- DWSRF - Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- WIFTA - Water Infrastructure Funding Transfer Act
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| Date published: | June 7, 2022 |
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