Water and Environmental Programs (WEP) provides loans, grants and loan guarantees for drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste and storm drainage facilities in rural areas and cities and towns of 10,000 or less. Public bodies, non-profit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes may qualify for assistance. WEP also makes grants to nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance and training to assist rural communities with their water, wastewater, and solid waste problems.

Water and Waste Disposal Loans

Purpose: To develop water and waste disposal (including solid waste disposal and storm drainage) systems in rural areas and towns with populations not in excess of 10,000. The funds are available to public entities such as cities, boroughs, special-purpose districts, Indian tribes, and corporations not operated for profit. USDA Rural Development also guarantees water and waste disposal loans made by banks and other eligible lenders.  

Purpose: To reduce water and waste disposal costs to a reasonable level for rural users. Grants may be made for up to 75 percent of eligible project costs in some cases. The same types of applicants are eligible for grants and loans.  

Purpose: To make grants to nonprofit organizations to provide technical assistance and training to utility managers and operators on a wide range of issues relating to the delivery of water and waste disposal service.

A percentage of the Water and Wastewater Grant Program is available each year to provide technical assistance for rural communities with populations of 10,000 or less. Private, nonprofit organizations that have been granted tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service may be eligible for grant funds provided they can demonstrate the ability, background, experience, legal authority, and actual capacity to provide technical assistance/training on a regional basis to small, rural communities. Grant funds may be used to assist communities and rural areas identify and evaluate solutions to water or wastewater problems, improve facility operation and maintenance activities, or prepare funding applications for water or wastewater treatment facility construction projects.  

Solid Waste Management Grants

Purpose: To make grants to public and private nonprofit organizations for providing technical assistance and training to utility managers and operators to reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources and improve planning and management of solid waste facilities. This assistance is available in rural areas and towns with populations not in excess of 10,000.  

Purpose: To assist rural communities that have had a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water. Grants can be made in rural areas and cities or towns with populations not in excess of 10,000 and a median household income that does not exceed Alaska’s non-metropolitan median household income. Grants may be made for 100 percent of eligible project costs. The maximum grant is $500,000 when a significant decline in quantity or quality of water occurred within 2 years or $75,000 to make emergency repairs and replacement of facilities on existing systems.  

Purpose: to provide technical assistance for the operation of rural water systems. USDA Rural Development, through contracting, has assisted rural water systems with day-to-day operational, financial, and management problems. Officials of rural water systems or USDA Rural Development may request the assistance. The program complements USDA Rural Development loan supervision responsibilities. USDA Rural Development contracts with the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to provide this service. NRWA State Affiliates do the work in their state(s).