New Jersey Discharger - Vol. 6 No. 1 Summer 1998- D

	Vol. 6 No. 1 Summer 1998
A Newsletter About New Jersey's Water Quality Programs

Funds Now Available For
Improving Drinking Water Systems
by Charles Yanucil, Bureau of Safe Drinking Water

Low interest loans are now available from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program (DWSRF) for construction projects aimed at maintaining and improving potable water quality and system integrity. This program assists publicly and privately owned community water systems and nonprofit noncommunity water systems in achieving or maintaining compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, and in furthering the public health objectives of the Act. The State's DWSRF Capitalization Grant Process also includes funding for DEP initiatives to meet SDWA requirements such as public water system supervision, technical assistance for small systems, operator certification, capacity development, wellhead protection and source water assessment, and protection, as well as funds for administration.

The SDWA authorized a total of $9.6 billion nationally for the DWSRF over the next six years. For New Jersey, the United States Environmental Protection Agency allotted approximately $28 million in 1997 and another $17 million for 1998. New Jersey will be conducting a needs survey this year, the results of which will be used to assess New Jersey's drinking water needs and determine future allotment amounts.

Now is the Time to Submit a Project Ranking Form

Those wishing to receive loans through the DWSRF must be placed on the Project Priority List by completing a Project Ranking Form available in the DWSRF Proposed Priority System, Intended Use Plan, and Project Priority List. The Project Priority System and Project Priority List are used to determine eligible projects and their subsequent rank. The list currently contains 100 projects with total costs of over $320 million. Projects are certified for funding based on their Project Priority List rank, available funds, and compliance with program requirements and deadlines for completing planning, design, and loan applications. Projects that are not ready to proceed or have missed deadlines will be bypassed for that funding cycle, but will remain on the Project Priority List until they are ready to proceed.

Project Ranking Forms should be completed and submitted as soon as possible, but no later than August 29, 1998 to be eligible for funding in 1999. If you are interested in applying for funding and receiving a ranking form and the priority list or have questions about the program, please contact Charles Yanucil of the Bureau of Safe Drinking Water at (609) 292-5550.

Articles appearing in the New Jersey Discharger may be reprinted provided source credit is given.

Please contact Tom Cosmas regarding any comments on the New Jersey Discharger web pages.
Last revision Monday, June 08, 1998