Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)

General Information

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) makes funds available to drinking water systems to pay for infrastructure improvements. This program is funded through federal and state money and subject to state laws and additional federal regulations.

Free Technical Assistance opportunities available to help communities meet their regulator obligations. We help water system staff understand program details and necessary planning to ensure success in gaining program funding for infrastructure projects.

The program provides:

  • Planning and Engineering loans to cover preconstruction work and activities such as water system plans, engineering designs, and cultural reviews.
    • Planning Grants for small water systems to create, update, or amend a Small Water System Management Program (SWSMP) or Water System Plan (WSP). Some planning grants are specifically for small or disadvantaged community water systems. These systems have emerging contaminants in their source or water systems. The grant provides consolidation opportunities that stem from contamination due to emerging contaminants.
  • Consolidation, Restructuring, and Regionalization funding has several options.
    • Consolidation Feasibility Study grants allow larger Group A community water systems such as cities, town, counties, public utility districts, and water districts to determine feasibility and capital improvements needed to consolidate smaller or struggling water systems into their service area.
    • Drinking Water System Rehabilitation and Consolidation grants are available to struggling water systems invited to apply after coordination with ODW staff. Approved projects can include efforts to rehabilitate an existing system to meet compliance regulations and for larger, well-run water systems to acquire and upgrade struggling or failing water systems.
    • Emerging Contaminants for Small and Disadvantaged Communities grant funding for long-term well remediation for Group A water systems. Consolidation funding by Group A community water systems that acquire and connect properties served by private wells, Group B water systems, and smaller Group A water systems. We also make funding available for short-term mitigation for Group A, Group B, and private wells.
  • Low-interest construction loans to publicly (municipal) and privately owned drinking water systems. These loans cover capital improvements that increase public health and compliance with drinking water regulations.
    • Construction Loan repayments range from 20 to 30 years. In some cases, partial loan forgiveness is offered.
    • Lead Service Line loans cover work to complete the inventory, update any inventories with unknowns, or replace lead service lines and service line components.
  • Source Water Protection Grant
  • Emergency Loans
  • After You Are Approved for Funding
  • Asset Management Training

As you consider the challenges that you are seeking to address in a community or public water system, please be aware that there are many federal requirements for loans and grants from DWSRF. Requirements include completion of cultural and environmental reviews, SEPA, Davis Bacon Act, Build America Buy America, loan management, construction management, and others. 

Intended Use Plans

Each year, we develop a project priority list identifying the funded applications received during the previous application cycle. In compliance with state law, we send the list to the Public Works Board and state legislature by February 1 of each year. The list is used to identify funded projects or projects to be funded between July 1 and June 30 of the following year. We include the projects in the Intended Use Plan (IUP) that accompanies the grant application submitted to be eligible for that year’s program funding. The plan informs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of how we will use the funding for project implementation and program administration. The state then receives federal funding from EPA each year in the form of capitalization grants. We use these grants to fund the drinking water program, planning for and constructing infrastructure. 


The IUP is published by May 1 of every year to provide those interested the ability to comment on included projects and proposed program activities.

How to Apply for DWSRF Funding

Secure Access Washington (SAW) is the state portal for a variety of applications, including the Washington Loan Tracking (WALT) application. Each contract for an application needs to have their own SAW account with login and password.

WALT is the Washington State Department of Health Office of Drinking Water's online loan and grant management tool. It is an application inside of SAW. You may submit applications for funding opportunities, check the status of your application, and submit applicable documentation through WALT.

NOTE: Pre-registration is required to access WALT this year. If you're already in the WALT system, no action is needed.

For WALT Pre-registration and other user help, please email DWSRF@DOH.WA.GOV or call Jason Cammarano at 360-867-3991.

Please refer to the Washington Loan Tracking External User Guide 331-614 (PDF).

Free Technical Assistance Through DWSRF

Through EPA set-asides, DWSRF maintains technical assistance contracts with several providers who can help water systems build technical, managerial, and financial capacity for the purpose of becoming eligible for and successfully receiving DWSRF funding. Technical assistance is assigned by DOH and offered for free to select public water systems. Assistance is typically prioritized to systems that serve less than 10,000 in rural, or disadvantaged communities. Examples of technical assistance include:

  • Lead Service Line Inventory.
  • Planning and Engineering (such as water system plans, small water system management programs, designs, bid documents and assessments).
  • DWSRF eligibility and application assistance.
  • Managerial development (such as needs assessment, governance documents, and leadership development).
  • Financial management (such as rate structuring, finance planning, asset management, credit worthiness, and income surveys).
  • Technical help and training (such as addressing compliance issues, and operator) certification.

Fill out the online Technical Assistance Request Form.

Read the free technical assistance flyer.

If you have questions about technical assistance or need help with the request form, please email watersystemhelp@doh.wa.gov. 
Disadvantaged Community

Under federal law, we must allocate a percentage of DWSRF funding and loan subsidy (in the form of principal forgiveness) to projects serving disadvantaged communities (DACs).  

We update annually the criteria used to determine if a project serves a DAC and how we distribute subsidy in in Appendix B of our Construction and LSL Loan Guidelines 331-196 (PDF). We identify DACs by census tract.

Maximum subsidy percentages vary by program and depend on the number of applicants, types of projects, and the availability of funding each year. Projects addressing lead service lines and emerging contaminants may be eligible for up to 100 percent subsidy. We outline subsidy guidelines in Construction and LSL Loan Guidelines 331-196 (PDF) under the "Subsidy" section.

We developed a mapping tool based on current DAC criteria to assist systems in developing an initial understanding of whether a project may qualify as serving a DAC. Projects identified as serving DACs are eligible for additional subsidy through DWSRF, but we do not guarantee we will fund a project or that we will award loan principal forgiveness. When a water system service area spans multiple census tracts with differing DAC status, the applicant is responsible for identifying where the project area is. Final DAC determination is made at the time of DWSRF project review.

For questions about disadvantaged community criteria or assistance with the mapping tool please contact DWSRF@doh.wa.gov.

Planning and Engineering Loans and Grants: Ongoing

We accept Planning and Engineering Loan and Grant applications year-round. We will fund eligible projects on a first-come basis until funding is exhausted. We provide the following guidelines, fact sheets, application worksheets, and webinar presentations for your information. Grants may be available based on the conditions of a particular funding opportunity, disadvantaged community status, affordability, public health need, and available funding.

Consolidations, Restructuring, and Regionalization: Ongoing

If you are interested in consolidation, restructuring (change of ownership), or regionalization (CRR), please contact your regional engineer or regional planner. The receiving water system must be the applicant for any funding requested.

Consolidation is physically connecting water systems. Restructuring is changing the ownership of the water system. Regionalization is sharing resources such as personnel, equipment, and services.

We accept applications for the Consolidation Feasibility Study Grant year-round. Applicants must be a city, town, county, public utility district, water district, non-profit community water system, or an approved Satellite Management Agency. Guidelines and documents used to complete the application include:

During the 2023 Legislative Session, the Washington State Legislature appropriated $5 million for consolidating, restructuring, and rehabilitating struggling and/or failing Public Water Systems (PWS). Over $2 million of the appropriated funds were targeted for specific projects and the remainder of the funds were directed to projects supporting struggling and failing systems and communities. Projects will be selected by DWSRF Program staff. We will ask selected projects to submit an online application through WALT. Contact your regional engineer if you have a project to propose.

Guidance on how projects are selected, who are eligible applicants, and how to submit an application is provided in Drinking Water System Rehabilitation and Consolidation Guidance 331-742 (PDF).

Other funding for CRR include Planning Grants, Emerging Contaminants for Small and Disadvantaged Community Grants, Planning and Engineering Loans, and Construction Loans.

Construction and Lead Service Line Loans: November 30 Each Year

2023 Construction Loan Cycle DRAFT Funding List (PDF)

Funding applications are open year-round. We will not score applications for Lead Service Line Loans and Construction Loans until after November 30, 2024, and must comply with the guidelines to be published by July 31, 2024. The applicant is responsible for updating the application as needed to be eligible for funding. The documents below are available for the 2023 funding cycle. 

You must select "Lead Service Line Loan" in WALT to be considered for this loan. You must submit service line inventories to us by October 16, 2024, then annually if you list lead or unknowns. All community and non-transient non-community (NTNC) water systems must develop a service line inventory. More information is located on our Lead Service Line Inventory—EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions webpage.

Emerging Contaminants for Small and Disadvantaged Communities (ECSDC) 

Funding for short-term mitigation for Group A public water systems is available during the first year of funding. Funding for Group B and private wells may be available in future years. Short-term mitigation includes the provision of filters for use in individual homes.

Long-term Remediation

Funding can pay for PFAS mitigation such as drilling a new well, consolidating with a water system that has an uncontaminated source or has treatment installed, or to design and install treatment on a Group A source.

Read the Emerging Contaminants for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Grant Guidelines 331-765 (PDF) to understand this program's requirements.

Source Water Protection Grant—Ongoing

Source Water Protection Local Assistance Grant Program webpage.

Emergency Loan: Ongoing

Group A not-for-profit water systems serving fewer than 10,000 people can apply for a loan of up to $500,000 to cover emergency recovery activities.

DWSRF program guidelines allow states to use funds from this program for recovery activities related to emergencies, such as drought and wildfires. This loan program will ensure we are ready and able to award loans to water systems that may be in violation of health and safety standards due to an emergency.

Systems can use the funds for construction, reconstruction, replacement, rehabilitation, temporary repair, generator or treatment equipment rentals, or improvement needed to continue or restore drinking water service.

Read the DWSRF Emergency Guidelines 331-545 (PDF) to understand the requirements for this program and gather necessary documentation.

When ready, you can apply using the DWSRF Emergency Loan Application Form 331-542-F (Word). You must submit the document to DWSRF@doh.wa.gov as the application is not available through WALT.

After You are Approved for Funding

Environmental Review and Cultural Review

All federally funded infrastructure projects must undergo both an environmental and a cultural review. These identify and analyze potential impacts a project might have on environmental, historical, and cultural resources.

Contracting

If your project is funded, refer to the DWSRF Customer Loan Handbook 331-586 (PDF) for your next steps. Here's a Loan Payment Calculator for your use.

Asset Management

Asset Management Spreadsheet

In order to assist you with your asset management inventory, Rural Communities Assistance Corporation (RCAC) developed an asset management template for use by water systems. Bonus points are available for completing the asset inventory when applying for a Construction Loan.
 

Training

Asset Management training counts toward bonus points on your DWSRF application. Rural Communities Assistance Corporation (RCAC) offers free online and in-person classes. Look for Asset Management training on their calendar. Narrow your search on the right menu of the calendar to “Free WA Drinking Water Workshops.”

Contacts

Mail and physical addresses

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