Water Environment Federation (WEF) Discussion Forums / WEF Discussion Forums / Utility Management / Septic to Community Sewer Conversion Financing / Latest Posts

RE: Septic to Community Sewer Conversion Financing

Shane — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:38:33 GMT

We recently set up a revolving sewer loan program for just this type of situation. We're starting with seed money provided by USEPA through our local regulatory agency with whom we jointly administer the program via an MOU. We've only just started, so I can't yet tell you how efficient it is, but I'm very excited that we've finally got it off of the ground. Or I guess in this case, out of the ground...

RE: Septic to Community Sewer Conversion Financing

sewerguy — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:56:03 GMT

We are in the design stage of a sewer extension project that will serve 266 existing properties and 305 future customers, for a total of 571. The estimated cost is $9 Million. The Authority that is constructing the extension has determined it can pay $3 Million of the cost, or about 1/3 of the $9 Million cost. The $3 Million is what the Authority can pay and not raise rates for its other 31,000 customers, based on the cost of the extension and the projected costs and revenues from the 571 customers over a 20-year time period.

Based on the 571 customers paying $6 Million, the cost per customer (Special Purpose Fee) will be about $10,500. The Authority is willing to finance this over time, but the residents are still very upset about the cost. The residents are looking to their municipality for assistance to pay.

RE: Septic to Community Sewer Conversion Financing

Jerry — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:13:53 GMT

If you try to charge home owners a large cost like that, they will fight you. It would be best to find Grant money or low interest loans payable through user fees.

Septic to Community Sewer Conversion Financing

Warner — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:26:04 GMT

Desire feedback regarding how other utilities may be assisting individual homeowners, which have a failing septic system, to finance conversion from the septic system to a community sewer system.

Our utility presently does not offer financing plans to individual homeowners (i.e. monthly surcharge to the utility bill). Individual homeowners are responsible to pay all sewer connection and construction fees in advance, which can be upwards of $15-$25,000 per home.

Our community has successfully advanced larger community projects (200-300 homes at a time) with grant and SAD funding - but we struggle with finding ways to help individual or smaller groups. Thanks in advance.