The mission of the Maryland Water Infrastructure Financing Administration (MWIFA) is to provide state and federal financial assistance in the form of low interest rate loans, loan forgiveness, and grant funding for eligible water quality, drinking water, and stormwater management capital projects.
Eligible types of projects include:
- Sanitary Sewer and Wastewater Treatment
- Drinking Water Infrastructure and Source Water Protection
- Nonpoint Source Pollution and Watershed Restoration
- Septic System Upgrades and Sewer Connections
- Stormwater Management and Flood Mitigation
MWIFA administers the loan and grant programs described below:
Financial Program
|
Purpose |
|---|
|
Water Quality Revolving Loan Program (WQRLF) | Provides low-interest loans to local governments to finance wastewater treatment plant upgrades, nonpoint source pollution control projects, and other water quality and public health improvement projects. |
Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program (DWRLF)
| Provides low-interest loans to local governments to finance water supply improvements and drinking water infrastructure upgrades. |
Water Supply Assistance Grant Program | Helps communities meet their water supply and infrastructure needs. |
Bay Restoration Fund - Wastewater Grant Program | - ENR upgrade at major or minor wastewater treatment plants.
- Improvements to existing wastewater conveyance systems.
- Sewer extensions to connect homes on septic systems to a BNR/ENR wastewater treatment plant.
- Nutrient-reducing BAT shared community septic systems.
- Stormwater (MS4) projects by local governments with a system of charges through a local stormwater or resilience enterprise fund.
- Flood mitigation and resilience and watershed restoration projects.
|
Supplemental Assistance Grant Program
| Assistance primarily to small and disadvantaged communities for sewer infrastructure improvements.
|
Bay Restoration Fund - Septic System Upgrade Program
| Upgrades of existing septic systems to best available technology and sewer connections for nitrogen reduction to aquifers and the Bay.
|
Linked Deposit Program
| Credit support for private nonpoint source pollution control, watershed protection, and drinking water supply and infrastructure projects.
|
Comprehensive Flood
Management Grant Program
| Assistance to "subdivisions" for flood mitigation projects which reduce the risk of loss of life and property from flooding.
|
Both loan programs receive federal funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and offer below market interest rate state and federal loans to eligible borrowers.
MWIFA is authorized to issue revenue bonds subject to approval of the State Board of Public Works and Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment. Bonds issued by MWIFA do not constitute a debt or the full faith and credit pledge of the State or any political subdivision. The bonds are paid solely from MWIFA revenues as pledged under bond indenture for each of the above Funds.
MWIFA works very closely with MDE’s Engineering and Capital Projects Program (ECPP), which is the entity responsible for management of water quality, drinking water, and stormwater and flood mitigation capital projects to protect public health and water quality.
Reports:
MWIFA Financial Statements and Supplemental Schedules Together With Report of Independent Public Accountants for the Years Ending June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023
MWIFA Single Audit Together With Report of Independent Public Accountants for the Year Ended June 30, 2024
Clean Water Commerce Act SFY2024 and SFY2025 Project List
The selected projects are highlighted with different colors to indicate the funding entity (MDE, MDA, EPIC).
The funding entity will contact applicants of selected projects to start the process.
Federal FY2024/State FY2026 Funding Documents
See each Intended Use Plan Table 1 for funding decisions.
Notifications re SRF and BIL funding were emailed in mid-October 2024.
Notifications re State Grant funding will be made after General Assembly approval in Spring 2025.
Projects with a notation on a Project Priority List of W/S: N and / or PFA: 3 were bypassed for not meeting threshold requirement(s). Please see the
Prepare to Apply document for more information.
Federal FY2023/State FY2025 Funding Documents
See each Intended Use Plan Table 1 for funding decisions.
Notifications re SRF and BIL funding were emailed in mid-October 2023.
Notifications re State Grant funding were made after General Assembly approval in Spring 2024.
Responsiveness Summary for the FFY2023/State FY2025 IUPs and PPLs
For Septic Grants:
Associated Documents:
Funding Requirements for Preliminary Eligibility Reports (Effective October 1, 2015)
Minor and Other WWTPs Cost Effectiveness Guidelines
Minor Cost Effectiveness Flow Chart
Prepare to Apply
Integrated Project Priority System for Water Quality Capital Projects
Integrated Project Priority System for Drinking Water Capital Projects
Water Quality Funding Subsidy Chart
Drinking Water Funding Subsidy Chart
PFA Exception Procedure
EPA's WaterSense Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Guidance
Urban Stormwater Management Credit Calculator
Disadvantaged Community Chart (for FFY25/SFY27 applications)
Priority Fund Area (PFA) Mapping Tool
River Basin Designation Chart
Relative Effectiveness Chart
MEMA Hazard Mitigation Plan Maps
Maryland Hydrogeomorphic Regions Map
Water System Capacity Form (for DWSRF PFAS/EC)
Maryland Forest Financing Implementation Tool (FFIT)
The Maryland Forest Financing Implementation Tool (FFIT) is a calculator designed to assist local governments, land trusts, and other watershed partners in planning and underwriting forestry efforts for water quality benefits.
The video demonstration shows how FFIT can be used to evaluate implementation scenarios, estimate project costs, and quantify MS4 credits and environmental co-benefits. Additional resources are provided below.
Earlier versions of the FFIT tool and training resources are archived below for reference, though version 2 should be used for planning purposes:
For additional information, please contact (410) 537-3908.
