Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program

Overview

The Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program (CWISA Program) provides funding for wastewater infrastructure to Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages. The CWISA Program is administered in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS). EPA uses the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System priority lists to identify and select projects for CWISA program funding. To be considered for CWISA Program funding, tribes must identify their wastewater needs to the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System.

The Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program (PDF) (20pp., 3Mb) brochure provides answers to questions related to the CWISA Program, including project eligibility, funding, and project administration.

Program Guidelines

• 1989 Guidelines and Requirements for Applying for Grants from the Indian Set-Aside Program (PDF) (64pp., 6Mb)
• 1995 Addendum (PDF) (21pp., 1.7Mb)
  

Funding History

The Clean Water Act authorized CWISA program funding via one-half of one percent (0.5%) from the Construction Grants Program appropriations for fiscal years 1987-1990. In 1992, Congress gave the Administrator of EPA the authority to take a 0.5% set-aside from the Clean Water Act Title VI (State Revolving Fund) appropriation due to the phase-out of the Construction Grants Program.

Starting in FY 2001, Congress has authorized, through EPA’s Appropriations Bill, an increase in the percent of funds set-aside (from 0.5% to 1.5%) from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund appropriated amount to the CWISA Grant Program. 

The CWISA Program Funding table summarizes program funding amounts and number of projects funded between 1987 and 2011.

Program Contacts

• EPA Regional CWISA Coordinators
• For up-to-date Indian Health Service program contacts, visit the Indian Health Service Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction.