State Revolving Fund Links

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

Project sponsors are required to ensure, to the best extent possible, that disadvantaged businesses have the opportunity to participate in a fair share of the contracts and subcontracts awarded in a SRF-funded project. Entities listed below can help you find such businesses.

  • U.S. Small Business Administration

    Columbia- Main Office
    1835 Assembly St., Suite 1425
    Columbia, SC 29201
    (803) 765-5377

    		 Charleston
    3924 Ashley Phosphate Rd
    North Charleston, SC 29420
    (803) 255-7430    		 Spartanburg
    1875 E. Main St.
    Duncan, SC 29334
    (803) 253-3123

Check Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS)

CUPSS is a free, easy-to-use, asset management tool for small drinking water and wastewater utilities. CUPSS provides a simple approach based on EPA's highly successful Simple Tools for Effective Performance (STEP) Guide series. Use CUPSS to help you develop a record of your assets, schedule of required tasks, understanding of your financial situration and a tailored assest management plan.

Please Note: CUPSS is a legacy software application that was developed more than 10 years ago to assist drinking water and wastewater utilities in implementing an asset management plan. While still available for use, the tool is no longer being updated and may not be compatible with the latest computer operating systems. Additional asset management tools and resources can be found on EPA’s Asset Management Resources for States and Small Drinking Water Systems page.

Financial Comparison Tool

EPA has come up with a comparison tool called FACT.  You can click on Financing Alternatives Comparison Tool (FACT) to help find the most cost effective way to fund a wastewater or drinking water management project. This tool make a comprehensive analysis that compares several financing choices for these projects by including financing, regulatory, and other important costs.

South Carolina Water Quality Revolving Fund Authority Act

To view this Act , you can click on SC Water Quality Revolving Fund Authority Act and go to Chapter 5.

Needs Surveys

Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DW Needs Survey)

The Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended in 1996, mandates that every four years the DW Needs Survey collect data from water systems nationwide that are eligible to receive Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies. The survey asks a sample of systems to estimate their 20-year capital improvement needs to ensure the availability of safe drinking water for customers. Congress uses data from the survey to determine the annual allotments - the amount of federal money provided to State SRF programs from Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund appropriations. Starting with the 2020 Needs Survey the survey will collect information on the estimated number of lead service lines in a State, and the cost of replacing those service lines, both publicly and privately owned.

States assist in gathering acceptable data from survey participants. Strong participation provides a state the opportunity to increase funds available to drinking water systems through the SRF program. Data collection for the 2020 DW Needs Survey will take place during 2021.

Results of the two most recent Surveys and the related Reports to Congress are available via EPA’s DWSRF Webpage, https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf.

SC State Contact for DW Needs Survey:

SC State Contact: Meredith Amick
Phone: (898) 898-2543
Email: amickms@dhec.sc.gov

Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CW Needs Survey)

The CW Needs Survey is a thorough review of the estimated capital costs for infrastructure that utilities and municipalities need to meet the water quality goals set forth in the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA directs that the CW Needs Survey take place every four years, however the 2016 and 2020 surveys have been postponed by EPA. The next survey should begin after the 2020 Drinking Water Needs Survey concludes. When the CW Needs Survey is active, the states and EPA collect information about:

Information from the survey is compiled into a report to Congress that documents national needs. The Report provides Congress, and state legislatures, information to assist their budgeting efforts and provides information on general water quality issues to the public.

The 2012 CW Needs Survey Report to Congress, published in January 2016, is available on the EPA CW Needs Survey webpage: www.epa.gov/cwns

SC State Contact for CW Needs Survey:

SC State Contact: Meredith Amick
Phone: (898) 898-2543
Email: amickms@dhec.sc.gov

  • Minority Business Development Agency
    • Publicly owned wastewater collection and treatment facilities
    • Stormwater and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) control facilities
    • Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution control projects
    • Decentralized wastewater management