This April 17 webinar highlighted three states’ innovative programs that are assisting small water systems finance drinking water infrastructure projects. The webinar can be viewed here.
Presentations include:
Connecticut Small Loan and Emergency Power Generator Programs
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) recently launched their Small Loan Program which provides low-interest loans to public water systems for the purchase and installation of drinking water equipment. This program is designed to benefit very small systems, particularly those that need water treatment installations to deal with SDWA compliance. This program is building off the success of DPH’s Emergency Power Generator Program that provides subsidized DWSRF loans to help small systems get backup power to prevent their system from going offline.
Oregon Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Projects Program
The Oregon Health Authority provides planning funds to water systems through the Sustainable Infrastructure Planning Projects Program. Oregon has found that once small systems receive initial funds to plan projects, many of them ultimately come back with infrastructure projects for DWSRF funding.
Alaska Micro Loan Program
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has a micro loan program that provides native villages and other water systems with small loans for water infrastructure projects. The program is funded using DWSRF money and is intended to help systems get accustomed to the process of taking out loans and paying them back.
