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Program Overview

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program acts like an environmental infrastructure bank by providing below-market rate loans to eligible recipients for water infrastructure projects. As money is paid back into the state's revolving loan fund, DEQ makes new loans to other recipients for high priority, water quality activities. Repayments of loan principal and interest earnings are recycled back into the program to finance new projects that allow the funds to "revolve" at the state level over time.

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Public agencies are eligible to apply for loans, including tribal nations, cities, counties, sanitary districts, soil and water conservation districts, irrigation districts, various special districts and certain intergovernmental entities. "Public agency" in this program is defined by ORS 468.423.

The program also lends to certified nonprofit Community Development Financial Institutions for the specific purpose of lending to individual homeowners for the repair or replacement of a failing septic system, or connection to a public sewer system.

If you are unsure whether your organization qualifies, contact DEQ at 503-229-5622.​


​A wide range of water infrastructure projects are eligible to receive CWSRF assistance:

  • Construction of publicly owned treatment works
    Construction of publicly owned treatment works (as defined in CWA section 212)

  • Nonpoint source 
    Implementation a state nonpoint source pollution management program, established under CWA section 319

  • National estuary program projects
    Development and implementation of a conservation and management plan under CWA section 320

  • Decentralized wastewater treatment systems 
    Construction, repair, or replacement of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage

  • Stormwater 
    Measures to manage, reduce, treat, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water

  • Water conservation, efficiency, and reuse 
    Reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works capacity through water conservation, efficiency, or reuse

  • Watershed pilot projects 
    Development and implementation of watershed projects meeting the criteria in CWA section 122

  • Energy efficiency 
    Measures to reduce the energy consumption needs for publicly owned treatment works

  • Water reuse 
    Projects for reusing or recycling wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface drainage water

  • Security measures
    Measures to increase the security of publicly owned treatment works

  • Technical assistance 
    An eligible borrower may contract for technical assistance to plan, develop, and obtain financing for CWSRF eligible projects and to assist each treatment works in achieving compliance with the CWA. In some cases, DEQ can provide free technical assistance.