Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Program
The Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program (CWISA) provides funding to Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages for wastewater infrastructure. The CWISA program is administered in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
To be considered for CWISA program funding, tribes must identify their wastewater needs to the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System. EPA uses the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System priority lists to identify and select projects for CWISA program funding.
- Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program: Answers to Frequent Questions - Provides an overview of the program, including project eligibility, funding, and project administration.
Program Guidance
The guidance describes EPA’s policies and procedures for administering this program. The guidance incorporates many sustainability concepts already adopted by the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and recommended by the Tribal Infrastructure Task Force.
EPA also provides funds to drinking water systems for infrastructure improvements through a separate Indian set-aside grants program. Learn more about the Drinking Water Infrastructure Grant Tribal Set-Aside Program.
Funding History
The Clean Water Act authorized CWISA program funding via one-half of one percent (0.5 percent) from the Construction Grants Program appropriations for fiscal years 1987 through 1990. In 1992, Congress gave EPA the authority to take a 0.5 percent set-aside from the Clean Water Act Title VI (Clean Water State Revolving Fund) appropriation following the phase-out of the Construction Grants Program.
Beginning with EPA's FY 2001 Appropriation's Bill, Congress has authorized an increase from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund's appropriation for the CWISA set-aside. Since 2010 Congress has authorized an increase from 1.5 percent to 2 percent for the CWISA set-aside.
- CWISA Program funding table shows program funding amounts and the number of projects funded since the program's inception in 1987.