EPA Region 5 Environmental Finance Center
Free, Experienced Technical Assistance for Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Infrastructure Projects
Delta Institute is an EPA Region 5 Environmental Finance Center (EFC) for Regional Water Infrastructure, providing technical assistance services so more communities have access to cleaner and healthier water.
All communities deserve safe, clean, and reliable water.
We’re here to help.
EPA’s Real Water Technical Assistance offers hands-on support for communities to assess their water infrastructure needs, identify potential solutions, and develop funding applications. EPA is working with technical assistance providers, like Delta Institute, that have extensive expertise in helping communities solve water challenges.
Delta Institute, as one of the EPA Region 5 EFCs, provides targeted technical assistance centered around funding for projects that achieve the goals of either the Clean Water Act—wastewater and stormwater—or the Safe Drinking Water Act—drinking water—and are administered by utilities/municipalities.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROCESS
Delta Institute’s EFC technical assistance services include planning and assessment, project development, funding and financing, program management support, and other water infrastructure support. Our goal is to help our partner communities advance towards successful State Revolving Fund (SRF) applications and access federal water infrastructure funding.
Interested communities may fill out the below in-take form, or contact EPA to request technical assistance. After Delta is assigned your community as a technical assistance provider, we will schedule an interview to begin our services.
Our services are informed by the technical, administrative, managerial, and financial realities of our partner communities, and we pride ourselves on being a responsive, respective partner for your water infrastructure needs.
Delta Institute provides a suite of customized technical assistance services that may include the following tasks or others, depending on your community’s needs:
We understand municipal needs and realities
Delta Institute prides ourselves on being a trusted, reliable, and effective partner to municipal agencies and community groups. We understand the realities of local governments, ranging from staff resources, budget processes, Council approvals, Open Meetings Act requirements, and planning cycles. As a 501c3 nonprofit, our mission is rooted within your success—as dictated by our strategic goals and governing Board of Directors. Simply put, we exist to support Midwestern communities.
Targeted services centered on your needs
Our technical assistance directly responds to the needs of municipalities, water utilities, and communities, resulting in concrete actions that put communities on the path to successful State Revolving Fund applications so that your water infrastructure plans become a reality for your residents and neighbors.
Meeting our partners where they are
When we provide technical assistance, we dig into local context, history, and community voice to genuinely hear what the pain points and visions are, so that we then collaboratively craft an authentic plan that is 1) Community-Led, 2) Actionable, and 3) Grounded in Shared Values for your community’s future.
STATE REVOLVING FUND (SRF) PROCESS
SRFs are the primary federal funding mechanisms for water infrastructure projects, operating as low-interest loan programs but also offering additional subsidies for certain project types. There are two SRF programs: the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for stormwater and wastewater projects and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) for potable water projects.
While EPA oversees the state programs, each state administers its own CWSRF and DWSRF. State legislatures and agencies design the SRF application process, decide how to select and prioritize which projects receive funding, determine SRF loan interest rates, distribute SRF funding to municipalities and utilities, and receive loan repayments from those communities.
While each state has a unique application process that communities must follow to receive an SRF loan or additional subsidization, the SRF application process typically includes:
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- The community submits a pre-application using state-specific templates and a preliminary engineering report.
- The state agency scores and ranks projects. Scoring criteria vary and include metrics like compliance, water quality impacts, infrastructure improvements, and affordability. Agencies receive more funding requests than available funding, so only the highest-ranked projects receive funding.
- If conditionally approved for funding, the community submits a full application.
- The state performs environmental, financial, and technical reviews.
- If the reviews are favorable, the community solicits bids for their project and begins construction.
- Upon loan approval, the community requests SRF disbursements to pay for construction.
- One year after project completion, the community begins loan repayments.
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WHERE WE WORK AND WHO WE SUPPORT
We provide technical assistance to municipalities, water utilities, and agencies in EPA Region 5 states, which include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Each state has its own State Revolving Fund (SRF) requirements, processes, eligibility criteria, and funding prioritization approaches. It’s helpful to review your State’s current requirements prior to project planning.
Here’s some common links to specific State Revolving Fund (SRF) guidelines, deadlines, and application process. Please note that EPA follows state-based guidelines, so your specific state’s policies are what guides our technical assistance.
Want to talk through all of this? Delta can help you, please reach out to us today.
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Wisconsin
READY TO BEGIN? REQUEST REAL WATER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM EPA
If you need assistance filling out the form, or have any questions you’d like to have answered before applying for Real Water Technical Assistance, please contact our staff. We look forward to working with you.
SOME OF OUR MANY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECTS AND PARTNER COMMUNITIES
Water Infrastructure Financing
City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
The City sought assistance with identifying funding for several projects that address aging water mains, which present reliability and capacity issues for the City. The City’s drinking water distribution system serves the entire City, facilities of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Sault Tribe) within the City, Lake Superior State University, and a portion of Soo Township. The City has received preliminary approval from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy for a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan; Delta focused on funding resources to supplement the DWSRF loan and to consider for future projects.
Water Loss Investigation and Control Support
Village of Gambier, Ohio
WHY CHOOSE DELTA INSTITUTE?
INNOVATION
Named the winner of Illinois Green’s Emerald Award for Green Innovation in 2018.
NONPROFIT
Partnering with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit means we prioritize mission over profits. We are fully registered to do business like any other firm.
COLLABORATION
Named a finalist for the inaugural Chicago Prize in 2020 in partnership with LVEJO.
TRANSPARENCY
Winner of Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency for 6 years — a recognition received by fewer than 1% of all nonprofits.
EXCELLENCE
Received Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in both 2023 and 2024.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Received Charity Navigator’s highest four-star “Give with Confidence” rating annually.
REGIONAL
Named 1 of 29 Environmental Finance Centers supporting the EPA’s commitment to water access for all.
TRUSTED PARTNER
Hired by the Office of the Mayor to develop the Chicago Waste Strategy, which is still being implemented today.
Ready to begin?
Request water technical assistance using the button below.