SRF Clean Water Program

Learn how your community can receive low-interest loans to help create clean water systems.

Overview

This program is designed to provide a low-cost financing method that communities can take advantage of to make sure they are meeting water-quality standards.

The program emphasizes:

Watershed management priorities
Stormwater management
Green infrastructure

One major goal of the program is to encourage communities to undertake projects with meaningful water quality and public health benefits and which address the needs of the communities and the watersheds.

Additional Resources for Overview

2017 Massachusetts Clean Water Trust Annual Report for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs (PDF 5.79 MB)

Clean Water Trust 2016 Annual Report for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs (PDF 4.51 MB)

Clean Water Trust 2015 Annual Report for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs (PDF 1.16 MB)

Eligible Projects

Funding is available for the planning and construction of projects including:

CSO mitigation
New wastewater treatment facilities and upgrades of existing facilities
Infiltration/inflow correction
Wastewater collection systems
Nonpoint source pollution abatement projects, such as:
- Landfill capping
- Community programs for upgrading septic systems (Title 5)
- Brownfield remediation
- Pollution prevention
- Stormwater remediation

In addition, non-structural projects are eligible for SRF funding, such as:

Green infrastructure planning projects for nonpoint source problems which are consistent with the MassDEP’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan and that identify pollution sources and suggest potential remediation strategies.

An enhanced loan subsidy is also available for certain wastewater nutrient management projects. See details in the documents below.

Additional Resources for Eligible Projects

State Revolving Fund Applications and Forms

Instructions for zero percent interest rate projects financed under CWSRF

Policy on Eligible Project Costs

Program Details

Competitive proposals:

Will have demonstrable water quality benefits
Will eliminate or mitigate a risk to public health
Is needed to achieve or maintain compliance with applicable discharge permits or other water pollution control requirements
Will implement or be consistent with watershed management plans (or addresses a watershed priority) and is consistent with local and regional growth plan

The current subsidy is provided via a 2% interest loan. In recent years the program has operated with $400 to $450 million per year, representing the financing of 50 to 70 projects annually.