Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans

The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program is co-managed by DEM's Office of Water Resources and the RI Infrastructure Bank. The CWSRF provides below-market-rate financing for a wide array of water pollution abatement projects put forth by municipalities and other eligible entities. Eligible types of projects range from traditional sewers and sewage treatment projects, to landfill closures, community septic system repair programs, stormwater treatment and mitigation projects, as well as aquatic habitat, estuarine, and hydrologic restoration projects. Alternative energy and water efficiency projects that benefit a water pollution treatment facility are CWSRF eligible, along with projects that make wastewater infrastructure more resilient to the effects of climate change. Open space acquisitions for a water quality purpose, such as drinking water source protection, are also eligible for CWSRF financing.

To apply, the project must first be listed on the Project Priority List, then there are two applications required: 1) a Certificate of Approval from RIDEM, and 2) a loan application with the RI Infrastructure Bank.

Public Notices

FY 2026 CWSRF Intended Use Plan PDF file, about 7

Project Priority List

All projects seeking financial assistance from the CWSRF must first be listed on the annual Project Priority List (PPL). To get on the PPL, projects are solicited once a year starting in February through March, for a 4-week window. There is a specific request form depending on the type of project (see CWSRF Documents and Forms, below). Each PPL is generated in preparation for the upcoming fiscal year’s funding cycle. The PPL is a ranking of water pollution abatement projects in order of state priority. Once a project is listed on the final PPL, the potential borrower may apply for a Certificate of Approval from the RIDEM CWSRF Program (application form and instructions are below.)

CWSRF Intended Use Plan

The RI CWSRF program is authorized by the Clean Water Act and is capitalized with funds from the federal government, plus a required 20% match of funds from the state. Each year, the CWSRF program must submit a plan to the US EPA discussing how the program intends to apply that year’s funding on projects that address the state’s highest priority water quality needs. This ‘Intended Use Plan,’ or IUP, includes a list of projects from the PPL, short- and long-term goals of the program, how the funds would be distributed, information on the activities to be supported, and how the program will meet certain specific requirements pertaining to the management and use of the funds. This IUP is posted for public comment and review after the notice period for the PPL.