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Healthy Homes: On-Site

ARPA On-Site Funding Update

The pre-qualification application period for the third round of funding is closed as of 3:00pm EST October 31, 2023. 

Applicants prioritized to receive funding in the third round will be notified by January 1, 2024. This notification will require the applicant to submit a more detailed paper application and additional documentation (including permission to access their Vermont Homestead Declaration with the Vermont Department of Taxes) to verify income, homeownership status, and project details. Being selected to move on to the next step of the process does not guarantee funding. Applicants not selected for this round of funding will receive notification by April 1, 2024.

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ARPA Funding Overview

The Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) has just over $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to provide safe and reliable drinking water sources and wastewater disposal systems for Vermonters disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This program will provide financial assistance to residential property owners, including owner-occupied multi-family properties with up to four units for the repair or replacement of failing or inadequate on-site water and/or wastewater systems.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

  • Have a failed or inadequate on-site drinking water or wastewater system (also known as wells, springs, septic systems or tanks, leach fields, drywells, or cesspools) 
  • Own and live on a residential property with either a single-family home or an owner-occupied, multi-family home with up to four units 
  • Earn a household income of less than $80,835 per year  

What is a failed or inadequate wastewater system?  

A failed or inadequate wastewater system is considered by the ANR Healthy Homes Program to be any of the following situations that cannot be fixed by a minor repair/minor replacement, or the problem is not the result of a one-time event from which the system could have been fixed: 

  • Septic contents (wastewater) backing up into a building or structure 
  • Septic contents (wastewater) exposed to open air 
  • Septic contents (wastewater) pooling outside the home
  • Septic contents (wastewater) leaking directly to a lake, pond, or stream
  • Septic contents (wastewater) contaminating a drinking water supply
  • Told by a licensed designer, engineer, and/or government official that the system is failed or inadequate 
  • There is an outhouse, composting toilet or similar for a permanent year-round residence
  • You can also review the definition of a failed supply and about water quality standards in the Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules. 

What is a failed or inadequate drinking water supply? 

A failed or inadequate drinking water supply is considered by the ANR Healthy Homes Program to be any of the following situations, as long as the system in question cannot be fixed by a minor repair/minor replacement, or the problem is not the result of a one-time event from which the system could have been fixed: 

  • There is a known source of contamination impacting the drinking water source, including a contaminated site, leaking underground storage tank (fuel tank), or other contamination source  
  • Water quality testing has revealed contaminant levels above the acceptable standards for any of the following contaminants – arsenic, E. coli, total coliform, fluoride, lead, manganese, nitrate, nitrite, uranium, or adjusted gross alpha particle activity 
  • Water source does not provide enough water for the normal use of the building (for example: a well that has gone dry)
  • Told by a licensed designer, engineer, and/or government official that the system is failed or inadequate 
  • You can also review the definition of a failed supply and about water quality standards in the Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules. 

Funding Tiers

Tier 1: Households Earning Less than $65,000 per year:

  • Receive 100% the reasonable cost of design/permitting and construction up to $25,000. Within the $25,000 standard payment amount, up to $5,000 is available for design and permitting costs and the remaining balance is available for construction costs.
  • Limited funding is available for Tier 1 applicants whose projects cost more than the standard award amount of $25,000. To access additional funding above $25,000 the applicant must submit reasonable justification for the high-cost project and receive approval from the State.
  • Payments will be made directly to the consultant(s) and/or contractor(s) who perform the work. Payments for systems that have been already installed will be paid to the homeowner upon proof of payment.

Tier 2: Households Earning Between $65,000 and $80,835 per year:

  • Receive 100% the reasonable cost of design/permitting and construction up to $20,000. Within the $20,000 standard payment amount, up to $5,000 is available for design and permitting costs and the remaining balance is available for construction costs.
  • Receive a rebate check upon completion of the work and proof of payment.

Application Process, Timelines, and Deadlines

The pre-qualification application period for the Healthy Homes On-Site Initiative is closed as of 3:00pm EST October 31, 2023. 

The application was open to homeowners to apply to receive funding to repair or replace a failed or inadequate on-site water or wastewater system. Previous applicants did not need to submit a new application as ANR will automatically consider their first application in the third round. Please note that the funding is competitive and limited. Submission of a pre-qualification application does not guarantee a homeowner will receive funding. To learn more about third round funding, view frequently asked questions or a visual display of the process.

Step 1: Submitting a Pre-Qualification Application – August 24, 2023 –  3:00pm EST October 31, 2023

  • Interested parties applied online during a pre-qualification application period.

Step 2: Prioritizing Pre-Qualification Applications – November 1st, 2023 –December 31, 2023

  • The ANR Healthy Homes Program prioritizes all submitted pre-qualification applications. Once prioritizing is complete, the Program contacts applicants about their application status and next steps, if applicable.

Step 3: Prioritized Pre-Qualified Applicants Submit Applications – December 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024

  • The ANR Healthy Homes Program accepts applications from prioritized pre-qualified applicants. Eligibility is verified through tax documents, signed affidavits, and site visits (site visits may go through August 31st).

Step 4: Issuing Awards – April 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024

  • The ANR Healthy Homes Program issues awards to applicants that have been verified.

Step 5: Repairing and Replacing Systems

  • The awardee has the system repaired or replaced.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at ANR.HealthyHomes@vermont.gov or give us a call at 802-828-0141 or 1-877-344-0354 (toll-free).

Equity Considerations

ARPA funds will help disadvantaged communities address the public health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and help protect them from future crises.

Many people with failed on-site water or wastewater systems know that they have an expensive problem and can feel powerless. With ARPA funds, property owners are empowered to solve the situation. Funds can help cover design and construction costs.

Learn More

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For a summary of financing resources for onsite wastewater, view this fact sheet that was prepared for the Lake Champlain Basin Program area. In the fact sheet, the home repair loan program offered by the Champlain Housing Trust for residents in northwestern Vermont is also available in the rest of Vermont by other local groups within The NeighborWorks® Alliance of Vermont and other programs listed on the fact sheet are all offered state-wide.

Other complementary funding sources include the ANR On-Site Loan Program and the USDA. 

Alternative Sources of Funding, Financing, and Information for Homeowners: