Funding for Drinking Water Eligible Projects

Every year the SRF Loan Program solicits project requests for inclusion on the SRF Drinking Water Priority Ranking List (PRL) twice yearly. The SRF program creates a list of fundable projects from this  solicitation. These projects are ranked and placed on the annual PRL. Only projects identified on the PRLs are eligible for SRF loans and grants.  Funding priority will be given to projects that are ready to proceed with the proposed activities. 

When the solicitation process is closed, please be sure to check back here for the next opportunity.

How To Apply:

1. If your community is interested, please complete the  Drinking Water Questionnaire and submit that, with all supporting documentation, to the SRF loan program, using the directions below.

   Applicants can visit the EPA's Drinking Water SRF Eligibility Handbook to review the list of projects eligible for funding.

2. After the questionnaire has been completed, name each document using the following format

   "dw_cityorutilitydistrictname_questionnaire_currentyear"

   For Example: dw_riverdaleud_questionnaire_2020.doc or dw_riverdaleud_additionalinformation_2020.doc or

   dw_riverdaleud_map_2020.doc

3. Before uploading, the files must be compressed to a zip file. 

   To achieve this, first create a single folder using the same naming format as described above. Save all the documents into the single folder you just created. To compress the folder: right click on the folder, select “send to” in the drop down menu, and then click “compressed (zipped) folder”.

4. Go to: SRF TN CLOUD and log -in using the password dwsrf 
5. Drag and drop entire compressed folder onto the website screen.
6. A record of the file that has been successfully uploaded will be listed at the bottom of page. Please note that the screen may still show "pending" at the top.
7. SRF will then review and rank submitted projects. The Priority Ranking List (PRL) for Drinking Water projects will be released annually in early summer.
8. If your community made the list, you will receive a funding letter with information on next steps. Communities will need to be ready to proceed at that time.

Readiness To Proceed:

Once a community is placed on the PRL, they must demonstrate a readiness to proceed in order to move forward with the SRF funding process.

To do this, applicants must submit the following documents electronically (Please see SRF Cloud Document Portal page for upload instructions) 

1. A letter requesting funding for the project;
2. Last three fiscal years of audited financial statements must be submitted to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Local Government Audit;
   
3. Current water/sewer user rate ordinance;

For projects that include a construction component, additional items are needed:

1. Inter-disciplinary Environmental Review (IER) information, which includes a clear, concise project description in a (.doc) format,  an 8½” x 11” USGS 7.5-Minute topographic quadrangle color map in a (.jpg or .pdf) format showing the location of the planning area, and an 8½” x 11” USGS 7.5-Minute topographic quadrangle color map in a (.jpg or .pdf) format showing the location of the proposed project;
2. Facilities Planning Document;
   
3. Engineering Agreement(s);
   
4. Plans and Specifications; and
   
5. Documentation of acquired easements or email/letter certifying ownership of land.

Next Steps for a Loan Application:

After all of the above documents are submitted to the SRF Loan Program, additional steps are required before a loan agreement is signed:

1.     SRF will conduct a financial sufficiency review (financial audits and user fees) to determine if the community has sufficient revenue to support the infrastructure improvements. 

2.     A loan application is emailed to the entity for completion once the user rates are deemed sufficient

3.     The applicant must then complete loan application and submit it back to the SRF Loan Program, the

4.     The project will be presented to the Tennessee Local Development Authority (TLDA) for approval.  This is a 3-month minimum process, without complications, and dependent upon the scheduling of the TLDA Board Meeting.