Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund

The Montana Legislature established the Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund (WPCSRF) Loan Program for water pollution control projects. The program provides at or below market interest rate loans to eligible Montana entities. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the administering agency and assures that the technical, financial, and programmatic requirements of the program are met. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) issues the State’s general obligation bonds and makes loans to the project borrowers. Cooperatively, DEQ and DNRC administer the Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund Loan Program.

Examples of Eligible Water Quality Projects

Wastewater Projects

  • Wastewater treatment plant improvements
  • Interceptors, collectors, and lift stations
  • Lagoon construction & rehabilitation
  • Engineering & project inspection
  • Land used for disposal purposes

Non-Point Source Projects

  • Agricultural BMPs
  • Manure storage facilities
  • Mitigation banks
  • Estuary protection
  • Urban stormwater runoff
  • Ground water protection
  • Landfills
  • Animal feed operations (AFOs)
  • No-till farm equipment
  • Wetlands restoration & preservation
  • Stream bank restoration
  • Submerged aquatic vegetation
  • Construction runoff
  • Underground storage tanks
  • Septic system removal or upgrade

Types of Financial Assistance

Types of assistance currently provided are: direct loans and purchase or refinancing of existing debt.

Financial Requirements

  • Financial capability to properly operate the system and to repay the loan
  • Loan secured by a Bond or Note
  • Different bonding & security options exist (Revenue, general obligation, SID, RSID, tax increment)
  • Revenue Bond requires debt service reserve and coverage of 110 percent
  • Maintain financial records

Terms: The current interest rate is 2.5 percent with payment schedules not to exceed 30 years for certain projects.

Application: Applications are available from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. All entities must request that their project(s) be added to the Priority List and Intended Use Plan. This annual process begins in June to identify projects which may need WPCSRF funding for their project in the upcoming year. Early notification by the applicant is essential to get on the priority list, and a project remains on the list until it has been completed regardless of the funding source(s) used to finance the project. Loans will be offered on a first-come basis until demand exceeds available funds. Ultimately, ranking will be based on water quality and/or public health impacts.

Who's Eligible and How to Apply

Funds Available: The SRF loan programs are designed to provide a perpetual source of financial assistance to Montana communities.