DEP State Revolving Fund Programs Provide $61.3 Million in Loans and Grants for Eleven Water Projects

Press Release Banner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 13, 2017

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us

DEP State Revolving Fund Programs Provide
$61.3 Million in Loans and Grants for
Eleven Water Projects

~State revolving funds dedicated to Florida communities for 
clean water and drinking water projects~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs selected 11 clean water and drinking water projects around the state for $61.3 million in low-interest loans and grants. Both the CWSRF and DWSRF programs provide low-interest loans to communities for planning, designing and constructing water systems. For projects that help qualifying small and
financially disadvantaged communities, a significant portion of the loan may not need to be repaid by the community.

"We are pleased to allocate state revolving funds for important projects like wastewater, stormwater and drinking water treatment facility upgrades, and rehabilitation of aging infrastructure," said Trina Vielhauer, director of the Division of Water Restoration Assistance. 

Some examples of recently selected 2016-17 CWSRF projects include:

Graceville will be awarded a $1.1 million construction loan for a wastewater treatment digester optimization project. The project will minimize energy consumption and reduce phosphorous at the city's wastewater treatment facility before discharge into Holmes Creek, part of the Choctawhatchee basin. As a qualifying community, a majority of this loan will not have to be repaid.

Grand Ridge will be awarded a $50,000 planning loan for the installation of solar panels at the wastewater treatment facility and lift stations throughout the town. As a qualifying community, a majority of this loan will not have to be repaid.

Some examples of recently selected 2016-17 DWSRF projects include:

Citrus County will be awarded a $5.2 million construction loan for transmission main interconnection along the Suncoast Parkway Florida Department of Transportation extension project to connect the Sugarmill Woods and Charles Black water treatment facilities. Connecting these water treatment facilities will improve the level of water services for the area.

Fairpoint Regional Utilities System, Inc. will be awarded a $5.1 million construction loan for the installation of a new water supply well with a treatment facility for pH adjustment, disinfection and stabilization, as well as nearly 3 miles of distribution lines to connect the new well to the system. The project also includes a ground storage tank and booster pump station to help meet peak water demands in the service area.

The state's CWSRF and DWSRF programs combined have awarded more than 
$5 billion in funding since their inception. The programs are funded by federal grants, state matching funds, loan repayments and interest earnings. Joint CWSRF and DWSRF public meetings are held four times per year in August, October, February and May, to obligate funding for eligible water projects. The next joint public meeting, the first of fiscal year 2017-18, is scheduled for Aug. 9, 2017.