Announcing the 2022 DWSRF Pre-Application Solicitation!  

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is now accepting pre-applications for the 2022 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) for drinking water infrastructure projects. Community public water systems and non-community/non-transient non-profit public water systems are eligible to apply for important water system projects such as replacing water mains, lead service lines inventory and replacement, new pump houses, developing new sources, rehabilitating tanks, treatment systems, or upgrading meters. The program includes principal forgiveness for eligible disadvantaged, year-round communities.

The Drinking Water and Groundwater Advisory Commission looks to fund projects that are determined to be “ready”.  A ready project is one that has exhausted non-DWGTF funding options.  The Commission recognizes the significant contribution to funding water system improvement projects by the DWSRF program.  Learning about the DWSRF program and the new funding sources for 2022 is important if a water system is intending to apply to the DWGTF in the fall.

The DWSRF Pre-application is available online at: 2022 DWSRF Pre-Application Form

Pre-application Deadline: June 1, 2022 (by midnight)

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)

Remaining grant funds from NHDES’ America’s Rescue Plan Act are available and will be combined with DWSRF offers as funding allows.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)

BIL is providing new funding in addition to the annual DWSRF allotment for the next five years. This supplemental funding will help water systems tackle lead and emerging contaminant issues. The new Lead Service Line (LSL) SRF and Emerging Contaminants (EC) SRF programs provide funding specifically for LSL inventory and replacement and efforts to address emerging contaminants with a focus on PFAS and Manganese. Costs for LSL and EC projects and/or components must be identified in the pre-application.

Plans for the new BIL funding programs are still being developed including eligibility for increased subsidy amounts so we strongly recommend you submit a pre-application for your drinking water infrastructure projects.

Check out the DWSRF Webpage for more information about the DWSRF program.

2022 NH Water Infrastructure Funding Workshop Webinar Series- STARTS Monday, April 11

The 2022 Water Infrastructure Funding Webinar Series is April 11-15, 2022. The program will include a series of 1 hour sessions focusing on funding program updates and educational opportunities. Click on the agenda link to access the registration information for each session.

 Contact Johnna McKenna (johnna.mckenna@des.nh.gov) of the NHDES Drinking Water and Groundwater Bureau if you have any questions.

Funding provided by American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) announced today that Governor Chris Sununu and the Executive Council at their meeting on March 23, approved $4,289,000, in a combination of grant and loan funds, for the Town of Charlestown for needed water system improvements. NHDES provided the funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The Charlestown project is the first to receive final approval of ARPA infrastructure funding in New Hampshire. NHDES has offered over $100 million in funding for 232 projects, which are in the process of finalizing their proposals to NHDES for submission to the Governor and Executive Council for approval. Read More…

Agenda and Registration

This workshop will run from April 11-15 and include a series of sessions focusing on updates regarding funding programs administered by NHDES; including, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), federal provisions, energy efficiency, asset management and sustainability, and more!

The intended audience includes current/future loan recipients, community/financial decision makers, public works directors, city/town managers, commissioners, selectmen, municipal and regional planners, consultants/engineers, operators, and others interested in the NHDES administered funding programs.

Please see the agenda to access the registration links for each session.

Cost: FREE

Credits: 1 Technical Contact Hour (TCH) / 0.1 Continuing Education Credit (CEU) per session hour.

Please contact us if you have any questions:

Jennifer Brady, Wastewater, at (603) 271-0734 or Jennifer.E.Brady@des.nh.gov

Kim Kelliher, Drinking Water, at (603) 271-1408 or Kim.C.Kelliher@des.nh.gov

Save the Date: 2022 Water Infrastructure Funding Workshop

Date: April 11-15, 2022

Time: TBD

Location: Online via GoToWebinar

The workshop will focus on infrastructure funding programs administered by NHDES.  Topics will include, funding program updates, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), federal provisions, stormwater, asset management and more!

Who Should Attend: current/future loan recipients, community/financial decision makers, public works directors, city/town managers, municipal and regional planners, consultants/engineers, operators, and others interested in the NHDES-administered funding programs.

Registration information and a preliminary agenda will be sent out at a later date.

Please contact us if you have any questions:

• Jennifer Brady, Wastewater, at (603) 271-0734 or Jennifer.E.Brady@des.nh.gov
• Kim Kelliher, Drinking Water, at (603) 271-1408 or Kim.C.Kelliher@des.nh.gov

PORTSMOUTH — The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Coastal Program and Watershed Assistance Section are accepting Critical Flood Risk Infrastructure Grant (CFRING) applications for flood resilience and stormwater management projects located within New Hampshire’s Coastal Watershed. Coastal watershed communities and their stormwater infrastructure are highly susceptible to damage from severe flood risks, including relative sea-level rise (RSLR), coastal storms, RSLR-induced groundwater rise, extreme precipitation, and freshwater flooding. According to the 2019-2020 New Hampshire Coastal Flood Risk Summary, these flood hazards are projected to intensify with the effects of climate change. Furthermore, many coastal watershed communities are subject to federal permits that require improved stormwater management. This new grant program intends to support planning and assessment work, as well as implementation projects that reduce flood risk and address stormwater management challenges.

For the purposes of CFRING, “flood resilience” refers to the capacity of a community or system to thrive in a changing climate – not only measured by the capacity to “bounce back” quickly from shocks and stresses like storms, but also measured by the capacity to “leap forward” to create new ways of working to achieve community goals and social, economic, and environmental well-being over the long-term. “Stormwater management” includes use of structural or nonstructural practices designed to reduce stormwater runoff pollutant loads, discharge volumes, and/or peak flow discharge rates.

Eligible applicants include municipalities, quasi-governmental organizations (e.g., regional planning commissions, county conservations districts, etc.), non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions. Projects must take place within one or more of New Hampshire’s 42 Coastal Watershed communities.^[1] Total anticipated funding available for 2022 CFRING projects is approximately $4.5 million. Applicants may request a maximum of $100,000 per Planning and Assessment project or $2.5 million per Implementation project. A match commitment will not be requested for this grant program. Funds are made available to NHDES through the American Rescue Plan Act.  

For instructions, evaluation criteria, and to access the application form, visit the CFRING webpage. Applications must be submitted using the online application form no later than 4:00 PM ET on Friday, April 15, 2022. An informational webinar about the CFRING funding opportunity will take place on Monday, March 7, 2022 from 1:30-2:30 PM ET. Those interested must register for the webinar in advance. A recording of the webinar will be made available on the CFRING webpage for those who are unable to attend.

Please contact NHDES Watershed Management Specialist Ben Sweeney at (603) 559-0021 or benjamin.r.sweeney1@des.nh.gov with inquiries about this funding opportunity.

---

[1] New Hampshire’s Coastal Watershed communities include: Barrington, Brentwood, Brookfield, Candia, Chester, Danville, Deerfield, Dover, Durham, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Farmington, Fremont, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Kensington, Kingston, Lee, Madbury, Middleton, Milton, New Castle, New Durham, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, North Hampton, Northwood, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rochester, Rollinsford, Rye, Sandown, Seabrook, Somersworth, Strafford, Stratham and Wakefield.

Announcing a free environmental review webinar in February!

The New Hampshire Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Program will be hosting a Drinking Water Infrastructure Environmental Review Webinar, February 18, 2022, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Environmental Reviews are required for proposed drinking water infrastructure projects, funded by NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) administered programs, to ensure potential environmental and socio-economic impacts are considered, the public is informed, and the project meets federal, state, and local requirements. The webinar will provide an overview of the Environmental Review process and requirements for projects receiving funding assistance through the DWSRF, Drinking Water & Groundwater Trust Fund (DWGTF), PFAS Remediation Loan Fund (PFAS-RLF) and American Rescue Plan Act Fund (ARPA) Programs. Presentations will be given by the NHDES Drinking Water & Groundwater Bureau (DWGB), NH Division of Historical Resources (DHR), Natural Heritage Bureau (NHB) and NH Fish & Game (NH F&G).

The intended audience for the webinar includes current/future water infrastructure funding recipients, consultants/engineers, operators, and anyone interested in learning more about the Environmental Review process and regulatory requirements for water infrastructure projects.

Click for More Information on the 2022 ER Webinar 

Click Here to Register

Questions? Contact the DWSRF Program at DWSRF@des.nh.gov

This website is associated with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and will be used to provide up-to-date information on drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure funding programs related to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Subscribing for email alerts is the best way to receive new information posted here and important dates are listed on the upcoming events and funding deadlines table.