Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) funding requirements

Clean water state revolving fund logo

This page provides information and loan requirements for recipients of Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) funding. We have information that applies to all project types and specific information for stormwater and wastewater facility project types. All funding terms and conditions and more details about these requirements can be found in the Water Quality Combined funding guidelines. Guidelines are also available in EAGL at the top your application.

If you are interested in applying for this funding please visit our Water Quality Combined Fund applicant page

Requirements for All CWSRF Loans

All funded projects must adhere to:

There are more specifics on this page below and you can find additional specific requirements (including recipient trainings) on the project type pages:

Before the loan goes to signature

Upload these to EAGL “uploads” form and notify your Ecology project team:

  • Opinion of legal counsel
  • A copy of ordinance or resolution giving the recipient authority to accept a loan. It should include:
    • Name of the project
    • Name of the funding program (i.e., Clean Water State Revolving Fund)
    • Loan Amount
    • Interest rate and term
  • Federal Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) Form (only for equivalency and Section 319)

Fill out these forms in EAGL:

  • Cost and Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) Certification Form (see more info below)
  • Fiscal Sustainability (Asset Management) Plan 
  • CWSRF SRF Data Reporting Form

Cost and effectiveness analysis (CEA)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires recipients complete a CEA certification form (in EAGL) before a loan is signed. The purpose of the form is to determine if a recipient has already completed a cost and effectiveness analysis or needs to complete one as a deliverable of the project (this is an eligible expense). The purpose of the requirement to is ensure the recipient picked the most cost-efficient option while also considering water and energy conservation. For more details, please see the Funding guidelines

Requirements for stormwater and wastewater facility projects

If you are offered construction funding or planning on using CWSRF for construction, these will apply to your project.

Fiscal Sustainability (Asset Management) Plan

EPA requires that a Fiscal Sustainability (Asset Management) Plan certification form (in EAGL) be completed before a loan that includes construction is signed. The purpose of the certification form is to determine if a recipient has already completed a plan that meets the requirements or needs to complete one as a deliverable of the project (this is an eligible expense). The requirement is to ensure the recipient has an asset management plan that also considers water and energy conservation. The plan must cover the entire system even if the funded project is only for a project within the system. For more details, please see the Funding guidelines    

Environmental and cultural resource review

The project phase and funding will dictate the level of detail and information needed to complete the review.  Ecology must have a determination before ground disturbance occurs or that activity may be ineligible.

CWSRF Equivalency, Emerging Contaminants, and OSG funded projects must complete a report on compliance with specific federal environmental assurances, often referred to by EPA as "cross cutters".

For more information about the State Environmental Review Process (SERP) and links to the Environmental Information document and guidance, please visit our Environmental and cultural review webpage

Progress report certification

Recipients must include the following language in each of their progress reports to “certify” they are aware of and meeting the CWSRF requirements. 

“We verified that we are in compliance with all the requirements as outlined in our funding agreement(s) with the Department of Ecology. This includes but is not limited to: 

  • The Davis-Bacon Act, 29 CFR, prevailing wage requirements, certified weekly payroll, etc.
  • The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), 40 CFR, Part 33
  • The American Iron and Steel Act (Buy American) 
  • The Build America Buy America Act (BABA) (equivalency projects only)”

Funding recognition and signs

All projects must adhere to the funding source recognition requirements and give credit to all funding sources (i.e. EPA and Ecology). Projects funded with the CWSRF Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding must have a physical sign. The signage specifications are linked below.

Procurement, purchasing, and contracts 

State procurement requirements apply to all projects, which is described in the Administrative Requirements for Recipient of Ecology Grants and Loans (Yellow Book).