Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)

Jurisdiction:
Texas
Incentive Type: Loan Program
Industries:
Infrastructure, Technology, Health And Safety
Eligible Sector:
Government
Category:
Financial Incentive
Time Period:
FY 2015
Governing Body: Texas Water development board
What’s it worth?: $100 million.

This program provides low-cost financing for infrastructure projects to publically and private owned community public water systems including:

  • Cities
  • Districts
  • Political subdivisions
  • Nonprofit water supply corporations
  • Privately-owned water companies
  • Nonprofit, noncommunity public water systems

To apply for this program eligible participants must complete the application and approval process that includes a preapplication process, application and commitment, and the funding of project phases. The preapplication process includes the completion of a Project Information Form (PIF) providing:

  • A description of existing water facilities
  • Facility needs
  • Nature of the project to be considered
  • Project cost estimates

The information from the PIF form is used to rate the applicant and place them on a priority list. Participants with the highest priority raking are invited to apply for the program. Those invited to apply are required to attend a conference to guide them through the process before qualifying for the loan. Applications must be completed in their entirety before the review process is started. Awarded funds are placed into escrow and released according to the agreed upon terms. Some projects by only be funded for the planning, acquisition and design (PAD) phase; these applicants may qualify for the construction phase after the PAD is completed.

Participants must submit a PIF with their application, and pay a 2.25% loan origination fee. Loans greater than a half a million dollars must have adopted a water conservation and drought contingency plan. All loans are subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and must: complete an environmental inspection, meet the Davis-Bacon Act wage rates, follow the American Iron and Steel provisions, and comply with the TWDB’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. More information is available on the DWSRF website.