water infrastructure financing

The Water Investment Division coordinates investment of State and federal funding to all types of clean water and drinking water infrastructure in Vermont.  The Division manages the federal Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) for clean water and drinking water infrastructure, and the Department’s proportion of annual state Clean Water Fund and Capital Fund dollars that support water infrastructure throughout Vermont.  The Division coordinates annual reporting for all funds, publishing annual State Revolving Fund, Clean Water Investment, and Tactical Basin Planning Rep

Villages form the heart of Vermont’s rural communities, but more than 200 villages lack community sewer systems, hampering revitalization. To overcome this challenge, Vermont has formed an interagency Village Wastewater Initiative Committee (VWIC) led by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The committee meets biweekly to discuss progress of the villages, development of tools and resources, and coordination between funders and service providers.

WISPr funding application

What is Sponsorship?

The Water Infrastructure Sponsorship Program (WISPr) is intended to address a limited and under-assisted category of water resource needs in Vermont known as natural resource projects (NRP). The goal of WISPr is to counter the loss of ecological function and biological diversity that jeopardize the health of Vermont’s water resources by providing financial resources.

Construction Section

Water Investment Division Home Page

Division Quick Link Pages:

Each year the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) publish Intended Use Plans (IUPs) that explain how the SRF funding capitalization grants provided by the Federal government will be used to support the programs. Each IUP makes program decisions to meet requirements set by Congress in each year's capitalization grants and to address state programmatic priorities.

Municipalities without existing water or sewer rate payers  wishing to plan for a community-based drinking water or wastewater solution, can receive an Engineering Planning Advance to finance the costs of a Feasibility Study or a Preliminary Engineering Report.  (Currently there are no Drinking Water Engineering Planning Advance dollars appropriated, however, unsewered communities may explore a drinking water solution to wastewater issues.)

The Vermont Engineering Planning Advance Program is a financial program available to Vermont municipalities:

Program Information

The Vermont Wastewater and Potable Water Revolving Loan Fund, also known as the On-site Loan Program, is available to certain Vermont residents for the repair or replacement of failed on-site wastewater and water supply systems.  For more information, please view the Fact Sheet, below.

The Vermont-only Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund was established to provide loans to a municipality for the design, land acquisition, if necessary, and construction of a potable water supply when a household in the municipality has been disconnected involuntarily from a public water supply system for reasons other than nonpayment of fee.  The loan is to the municipality, not individual home owners.  Standard loan term is 20 year/3%.  The rate and term may be adjusted in accordance with program guidance documents.  

Currently Vermont statute allows for Pollution Control Grants of 10%  - 35% for qualifying Water Pollution Abatement and Control Projects. 

Qualifying project elements must be Water Pollution Abatement and Control Facilities.