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The Water Resources Department received approximately $5.4 million dollars to help Oregonians repair or replace and permanently abandon household wells that were impacted by drought or wildfire. Those funds have already been awarded, and the WARRF Program will not accept any new applications for funding as of October 30, 2023. Once funding for new reimbursement grants is available again, the program will announce the reopening online.

The Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement Fund (WARRF) provides financial assistance to low to moderate income individual households or members of a federally recognized tribe in Oregon. This financial assistance can be used to repair or replace and permanently abandon a water well that was destroyed by wildfire or is in an area impacted by drought. The impacted well must have been used for household purposes and no longer supplying enough water to sustain the household.

Funding is currently not available for new grants, so the WARRF Program is not accepting new applications. Once funding for new grants becomes available again, the program will announce the reopening online. Work completed prior to WARRF grant approval will not be eligible for reimbursement.

  • The WARRF program is not currently accepting applications.

For more information on past eligibility, see the Eligibility Checklist in the Guidance for Homeowners.     ​​​​​​

​Applications are not currently being accepted. Once funding for new grants becomes available again, the program will announce the reopening online.

El Fondo de Abandono, Reparación y Reemplazo de Pozos de Agua (WARRF, por sus siglas en inglés) brinda asistencia financiera a hogares con ingresos bajos a moderados o a miembros de una tribu reconocida a nivel federal en Oregon. Dicha asistencia es para reparar o reemplazar y abandonar permanentemente un pozo de agua que haya sido destruido por un incendio forestal o que se encuentre en una zona afectada por sequías. El pozo afectado debe haber sido utilizado para fines domésticos y que en el presente no suministre suficiente agua para abastecer el hogar.


Actualmente no hay fondos disponibles para nuevas solicitudes y por lo tanto el Programa WARRF no está recibiendo aplicaciones. Una vez que los fondos vuelvan a estar disponibles, el programa anunciará su reapertura en línea.

The Water Resources Department received approximately $5.4 million dollars for the Fund. $2 million of this funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act, and $3.4 million from the State of Oregon General Fund. Due to overwhelming demand, those funds have already been awarded.

To help as many Oregonians as possible with the funding program, a limit of $40,000 was available per applicant.

These funds were provided as a grant (not a loan) to reimburse homeowners for the expenses to abandon, repair, and replace a qualifying well. After grant approval, the homeowner is responsible for contracting with a well constructor and paying for the work. The fund reimburses 100% of the eligible costs up to the funding limit of $40,000 per grant. 

Funding is currently not available for new grants, so the WARRF Program is not accepting new applications.

Grants are taxable income. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the Oregon Water Resources Department to report all grant payments as taxable income.  OWRD will provide a 1099-G tax form as proof of income if you receive a WARRF grant. We mail the 1099-G form to the address on record. Forms are mailed mid-January for payments made the prior year. For additional information about your tax liability, please contact the IRS or a tax professional.

Additional resources may be available to assist with low interest loans or grants for wells from the following organizations:

•    Water Well Trust

If you live in Klamath County, you may also seek financial assistance from the Klamath County Well Assistance Fund. 


If you apply to other grant programs, you may be disqualified from future WARRF funding opportunities.


For more information contact:

Phone: 503-779-5763

Email: OWRD.Well.Funding

Forms and Guidance

Other Resources: