Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) Program
- Purpose
- How to Apply
- Funding History
- Eligible Activities
- Eligibility Requirements
- Additional Resources
- Contacts
- Documents
Purpose
To assist federally recognized Tribes within EPA Region 9 to improve wastewater infrastructure. Funds may be used for planning, design and construction of wastewater collection and treatment systems.
How to Apply
To apply for funding from the CWISA Program, Tribes must first contact their Indian Health Service (IHS) Area Office to determine if their wastewater needs are eligible to be entered into the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS). The SDS is an inventory of projects developed to address existing sanitation deficiencies in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Projects that support future growth are not included. EPA uses the SDS, in coordination with the IHS, to identify and select priority wastewater projects for funding. Projects are prioritized in the SDS based on eight factors: health impact, existing deficiency level, previous service, capital cost, operation and maintenance capability, Tribal contributions, local tribal priority, and local conditions. For example, projects that resolve public health concerns rank higher than projects designed to rectify water quality problems.
EPA awards funds annually. Tribes have an option of receiving a direct grant or coordinating an Interagency Agreement (IA) with their corresponding IHS area office. When a project is selected for funding, EPA contacts the Tribe and requires a written response endorsing the project and electing a funding mechanism before processing the award.
| Year 1 | January–May : Tribes identify sanitation needs to IHS Area Offices June: Deadline for submission of Tribal needs to IHS Areas June–July: IHS Areas review and rank projects submitted to the SDS August–October: IHS HQ reviews IHS Area SDS project submissions November: Final SDS lists made available to EPA CWISA Program |
|---|---|
| Year 2 | December–March: EPA Regional CWISA Programs select projects from SDS April–September: EPA Regional CWISA Programs notify Tribes of selected projects and award CWISA Program funds |
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 authorized an increase from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund's (CWSRF) appropriation for the CWISA Program. In FY 2010, Congress authorized an increase from 1.5 percent to 2 percent from the CWSRF for the CWISA Program. Since FY 2016, the CWISA appropriation from Congress has been either 2 percent of the CWSRF or $30 million, whichever is greater.
The amount of CWISA funding available to an EPA region is based on its proportion of Tribal wastewater needs, as identified in the IHS SDS database. The SDS is updated on an ongoing basis to account for inflation and changing state and federal standards; to add new deficiencies; and to remove deficiencies that have been addressed by projects funded by IHS and other entities such as EPA.
Eligible Activities
All projects funded by the CWISA Program must support wastewater-related activities or projects. CWISA Program funds cannot be used to pay for the cost of operation and maintenance of the wastewater facility, nor can they be used to pay for repairs to the treatment system in emergency situations. Project components eligible for funding include:
- Project planning, design, and Preliminary Engineering Report (PER)
- Infrastructure construction and major sewer rehabilitation
- Wastewater treatment facilities (conventional or alternative)
- Correction of combined sewer overflows
- Collector sewer pipelines
- On-site wastewater treatment systems (e.g., septic systems)
- Follow-up and as-built drawings of funded wastewater projects
- Operator training on new infrastructure equipment for first year
Eligibility Requirements
CWISA Program funds can only be used for projects that will increase a Tribe’s access to wastewater sanitation, and these projects must be listed in the IHS SDS database. Any Indian Tribe, band, group, or community recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in its list of all federally recognized Tribes in the United States is eligible for funding through the CWISA program, unless they have been deemed ineligible to receive federal funds by another agency or department of the federal government.
Additional Resources
EPA can also assist Tribes to develop infrastructure projects and coordinate with the IHS. EPA-directed contract support can be used to assist a Tribe to develop a preliminary engineering report (PER) and other supporting documents. Similarly, EPA’s Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) program can help Tribes to understand their wastewater infrastructure needs and plan for the future. To further discuss these resources, please reach out to the appropriate Tribal Water Infrastructure Project Officer.
The National CWISA Program Site includes links to the national CWISA program guidance, FAQs and recent regional funding allotments.