by Steven Reichert, PE, Project Manager
Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about sewage after it leaves their home – that is until something bad happens and they’re forced to. Broken sewer mains, aging pump stations, and outdated treatment facilities can force a community into an expensive emergency repair scenario, which puts a burden on many and inevitably costs more than earlier proactive intervention. New Hampshire has wisely allocated funding so that their communities can proactively solve aging infrastructure problems before they escalate.
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), through their Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (CWSRF), is offering more than $63 million in loan funds for the recently concluded 2018-2019 pre-application period. This funding and loan repayment program will hopefully be funded at a similar level for the 2019-2020 application funding cycle.
One of the major benefits that the NHDES offers with the SRF program is Principal Forgiveness. CWSRF wastewater projects can receive principal forgiveness on a sliding scale of up to 15% based on a community’s ability to afford the work. CWSRF wastewater and/or stormwater Planning Evaluation projects can receive 100% forgiveness up to $75,000, and Asset Management projects for wastewater and/or stormwater receive 100% principal forgiveness up to $30,000. Another benefit to these programs is that SRF loan interest rates are competitive with private sector municipal bonding. When combined with principal forgiveness, this program is uniquely practical.
If you’re a community considering this program, Fuss & O’Neill can help you navigate the application process for the 2019-2020 application cycle. Once selected for CWSRF funding, we can turn your wastewater improvement needs into a cost-effective project design. Because we understand the intricacies of Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) labor compliance, American Iron and Steel (AIS) usage requirements, and the many other construction-related requirements of the CWSRF program, we can also relieve a community of the compliance burdens associated with administering and monitoring these projects. We have a long and successful history of assisting New Hampshire communities in securing, designing, and managing CWSRF funded sewer projects. But as a local firm, we live here too. The proper functioning and economical maintenance of our sewers is important to us for the same reasons it’s important to you!
About the Author:
Steven Reichert, PE is a Designer and Resident Project Representative in Fuss & O’Neill’s Manchester, New Hampshire office. He has over 25 years of experience in complex utility evaluation and design, owner or municipal representation for complex construction contracts, design/constructability review, and preparation of contract specifications and bid documents.