Scravel Hill Water Co-op clean water infrastructure project in Linn County, Oregon wins EPA award for innovation, backed by OHA funding
Oregon Health Authority’s and Business Oregon’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program provides low-interest loans for drinking water infrastructure projects.
The Scravel Hill Water Co-op in Linn County, Oregon, received a WATERS award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in recognition of its innovative and effective use of its loan from the Oregon Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program. The program is co-administered by Oregon Health Authority and Business Oregon.
Business Oregon loaned the co-op $1.7 million through this low-interest loan program to improve the community’s drinking water system.
The Scravel Hill Water Co-op serves approximately 300 people. Many of the water system’s components were over 50 years old and failing, including distribution lines made of asbestos concrete piping, which is difficult to repair when broken. Back-up emergency power generators were needed to ensure a continuous supply of clean water to co-op members during emergency power outages.
The project included installing new natural gas backup power generators and replacing asbestos concrete and older PVC pipes with new PVC or HDPE waterlines. The drinking water system improvements funded by the loan will provide improved reliability, system resilience and ensure compliance with water quality requirements.
Since the loan is low-interest (2.68% for 30 years) and includes $280,000 of principal forgiveness, the project is more affordable for the co-op and ratepayers.
“EPA is pleased to recognize the Scravel Hill Water Co-op for their innovative efforts to provide clean water to residents,” said EPA Region 10 Administrator Emma Pokon. “The new infrastructure funded by EPA and Oregon’s Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program will be more resilient and help the water system meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.”
“Oregon Health Authority is proud to support Scravel Hill Water Co-op in making these critical upgrades to their drinking water system,” said Samina Panwhar, section manager for Drinking Water Services at OHA’s Public Health Division. “Replacing aging infrastructure and adding emergency power generators will help ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the community and prepare the system for future challenges.”
“A core element of Business Oregon’s programs and services is helping communities plan and finance infrastructure improvements, particularly rural communities such as the area served by Scravel Hill Water Co-op,” said Ed Tabor, Infrastructure and Program Services Director for Business Oregon. “Scravel Hill Water Co-op’s project is a great example of a water system utilizing low-cost financing options to improve services to their community for the long-term.”
EPA’s WATERS award program seeks to recognize a few projects that are “Well-planned, Affordable, include innovative ideas or technology that is Transferable to other communities, provide benefits for water or energy Efficiency, or help make the community more Resilient or Sustainable.” The co-op was nominated for the award by Business Oregon staff.
Oregon’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program provides low-cost loans to community and nonprofit non-community water systems for planning, design and construction of drinking water infrastructure improvements. Funds may also be available for drinking water source protection efforts. In Oregon, the loan program is funded through the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund which is administered by Business Oregon. As money is paid back into the state's revolving loan fund, the fund provides new loans to other recipients for high priority, drinking water infrastructure. Repayments of loan principal and interest earnings are recycled back into the program to finance new projects that allow the funds to "revolve" at the state level over time.
Photo: EPA staff present WATERS award to Scravel Hill Water Co-op board members.
