$5M in state funds available to homeowners to fix failed wells, septic systems

Gov. Phil Scott and the Agency of Natural Resources has announced $5 million of funding to support low- and moderate-income Vermont homeowners in repairing or replacing their failed or inadequate on-site water or wastewater systems. This is the third round of funding for the program.

Eligible homeowners may apply for this round of ARPA On-Site funding by Oct. 31, 2023. The application process includes submitting an online pre-qualification application. For help filling out the pre-qualification application, please contact a dedicated assistance specialist at 802-828-0141, 877-344-0354 toll-free or ANR.HealthyHomes@vermont.gov.

With limited funding, ANR will select approximately 200 priority projects based on income, environmental impact, household demographics and severity of system failure. ANR anticipates issuing awards for priority projects by the spring of 2024. Awardees must complete their projects and spend the funding by September 2026.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Have a failed or inadequate on-site drinking water and/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

Community groups cannot directly receive awards but can help homeowners apply or learn about the funding. For those with accessibility needs, ANR has dedicated staff members who can help fill out the pre-qualification application over the phone at no cost.

ANR first announced this funding in 2021, and received an overwhelming response, revealing a true underlying need for lower income Vermonters to access support for basic water and sanitation at their homes. Previous applicants do not need to submit a new application as ANR will automatically consider their first application in future funding rounds.

ANR is in the process of allocating over $10 million to more than 400 Vermont households from the first and second rounds of funding. Over half of these households have a household income of less than $30,000, and nearly 90 percent have a household income of less than $50,000.