Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program
On this page:
- Background
- Eligibility
- Available Technical Assistance
- Connections to Other EPA, Federal or Non-Governmental Efforts
Background
The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants program provides funding for the planning, design and construction of critical stormwater infrastructure projects in communities including combined sewer overflows (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). Managing runoff remains a complex environmental challenge for local communities across the country, especially due to the rise in extreme weather events. The program can help facilitate the development of infrastructure capable of coping with the changing climate's impacts, such as increased precipitation events.
EPA allocates grant funding to states, the District of Columbia, and territories, which then provide sub-awards to eligible entities for projects that address infrastructure needs for CSOs, SSOs and stormwater management. In 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law amended the program to add a stronger focus on providing assistance to rural and finically distressed communities while also eliminating project cost share requirements for these communities. States are required to prioritize funding projects for communities that are financially distressed, have a long-term municipal CSO or SSO control plan, or for projects that have requested a grant in their Clean Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan. Projects under the program have many of the same program requirements as the CWSRF and, to the extent that eligible projects are available, at least 20% of a state’s allocation must be used for green infrastructure, water conservation improvements, energy efficiency improvements or environmentally innovative activities that advance climate resilience and adaptation.
Eligibility
Who is generally eligible to apply?
Eligible recipients include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible recipients may use program funding to provide financial assistance to municipalities and municipal entities within their jurisdiction for the purposes described in Clean Water Act Section 221(a)(1).
The federal share for awards shall be 80% of the total award. The state grant recipients are required to provide a non-federal cost share/match for the remaining 20% of the total award, unless reduced by EPA after verifying that the sub-award will support rural (population of 10,000 of less) and/or financially distressed communities as defined by the state. The non-federal share may include, in any amount, public and private funds and in-kind services, as well as financial assistance, including loans, from a state water pollution control revolving fund. Federal cost share requirements cannot be passed on to rural communities and financially distressed communities.
Applicants can contact their EPA regional office and their state agency administering the program for further information on how to apply. For specific details on eligibilities, applicant requirements and sub-award requirements, visit the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program website.
How can projects funded by this program incorporate adaptation and resilience considerations?
The statutory eligibilities of the program allow states to fund a variety of project types, many of which can help build local adaptive capacity and system resilience to climate change.
Eligible projects generally fall under three main categories:
- Correcting CSOs.
- Correcting SSOs.
- Addressing stormwater and subsurface drainage needs.
Examples of climate adaptation and resilience projects supported by this program include:
- Planning and design activities that increase the resilience of treatment works to manmade or natural disasters, such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise, including assessing future risks and vulnerabilities.
- Stormwater or subsurface drainage projects that develop or implement watershed pilot projects related to watershed-wide management, stormwater best practices, integrated water resource planning and forming watershed partnerships.
- Rainwater harvesting collection, storage, management and distribution systems.
- Green infrastructure solutions such as green roofs, green streets, bioretention/bioswales (e.g., rain gardens, tree boxes), permeable pavement and the replacement of gray infrastructure.
- Creating, protecting and restoring wetlands, shoreline and riparian areas.
- Nature-based solutions, such as the establishment or restoration of urban tree canopy.
- Watershed management activities related to integrated planning, partnership formation, wet weather discharge and stormwater best management practices.
Eligible entities should note that their states agencies have the flexibility to identify which eligible projects are most relevant for their goals, based on the program’s priorities (i.e., financially distressed communities; Alaskan Native Villages; implementing a long-term control plan for CSOs or SSOs; and projects included on a state’s Intended Use Plan for the CWSRF). In addition to contacting their state agency, interested applicants can reference the program’s Grant Implementation Document for more information on eligible projects.
Available Technical Assistance
EPA’s free WaterTA services help communities identify water challenges, develop plans, build technical, managerial, and financial capacity, and develop application materials to access water infrastructure funding. WaterTA can help applicants prepare and develop materials for financing a project through the CWSRF and OSG. View past WaterTA webinars and presentations and a list of existing EPA WaterTA programs on the Water Technical Assistance Programs website.
Connections to Other EPA, Federal or Non-Governmental Efforts
The program supports projects that help advance other Clean Water Act program goals, including those related to EPA’s National Estuary Program, the Nonpoint Source Management Program (CWA Section 319) and the CWSRF. Support offered by these programs can be used in combination with the program to advance climate resilience projects.
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Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program: Eligible projects under the program align closely with those of the CWSRF – a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection and water reuse. For more information, visit the Overview of Clean Water State Revolving Fund Eligibilities.
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Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant: Eligible entities may fund publicly or privately-owned projects that implement state nonpoint source management programs established under CWA Section 319, such as activities related to urban stormwater, source water protection, water quality monitoring, and more. Find summary examples of these improvements.
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National Estuary Program: Eligible entities may fund projects that support the development and implementation of a National Estuary Program Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. CCMPs are long-range plans developed by each of the 28 NEP locations, containing actions to address water quality, living resources and habitat challenges in the estuary and surrounding area.