Priority Rating System

01. Purpose. A priority rating system will be utilized by the Department to annually allot available funds to wastewater and drinking water projects determined eligible for funding assistance under these rules. (7-1-26) 02. Priority Rating for Drinking Water Systems. The priority rating system will be based on a numerical points system. Priority criteria will contain the following points. (7-1-26) a. Any documented condition that creates, or may create, a public health hazard or danger to the consumer’s health, which may include any one (1) or more of the following, may be awarded a maximum of one hundred (100) points: (7-1-26) i. Unresolved violations of the primary drinking water standards including maximum contaminant levels, action levels, and treatment techniques (to include maximum contaminant levels for acute and chronic contaminants); (7-1-26) ii. Unresolved violations of pressure requirements; (7-1-26) iii. Reduction in source capacity that impacts the system’s ability to reliably serve water; (7-1-26) iv. Significant deficiencies (e.g., documented in a sanitary survey) in the physical system that are causing the system to not reliably serve safe drinking water; or (7-1-26) v. Unregulated contaminants shown by EPA to be a risk to public health. (7-1-26) b. General Conditions of Existing Facilities. Points will be given based on deficiencies, which may not constitute a public health hazard, for pumping, treating, and delivering drinking water - up to sixty (60) points. (7-1-26) c. Sustainability efforts (e.g., prospective efforts at energy conservation, water conservation, extending the life of capital assets, green building practices, and other environmentally innovative approaches to infrastructure repair, replacement and improvement) - up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-26) d. Regulatory compliance issues (e.g., noncompliance and resulting legal actions relating to infrastructure deficiencies of drinking water system) - up to thirty (30) points. (7-1-26) e. Incentives. Bonus points will be awarded to systems including such things as source water protection, economy, proper operation and maintenance, and monitoring - up to ten (10) points. (7-1-26) f. Affordability. Systems that meet the state affordability criteria and are defined as a disadvantaged community - up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-26) 03. Priority Rating for Wastewater Systems. The priority rating system will be based on a numerical IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IDAPA 58.01.12 – Rules for Administration of Department of Environmental Quality Wastewater & Drinking Water Loan Funds Section 021 Page 8 point system. Priority criteria will contain the following points: (7-1-26) a. Regulatory compliance issues (e.g., noncompliance and resulting legal actions relating to infrastructure deficiencies of a wastewater system) - up to one hundred (100) points. (7-1-26) b. Watershed restoration (e.g., implementation of best management practices or initiation of construction at wastewater collection and treatment facilities as part of an approved total maximum daily load plan, implementation of nonpoint source management actions in protection of a threatened water, or is part of a special water quality effort) - up to one hundred (100) points. (7-1-26) c. Watershed protection from impacts (e.g., improvement of beneficial use(s) in a given water body, evidence of community support, or recognition of the special status of the affected water body) - up to one hundred (100) points. (7-1-26) d. Preventing impacts to uses (nonpoint source pollution projects) - up to one hundred (100) points. (7-1-26) e. Sustainability efforts (e.g., prospective efforts at energy conservation, water conservation, extending the life of capital assets, green building practices, and other environmentally innovative approaches to infrastructure repair, replacement and improvement) - up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-26) f. Affordability. Systems that meet the state affordability criteria and are defined as a disadvantaged community – up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-26) 04. Priority List. A list will be developed from projects rated according to Section 020, submitted for public review and comment, and submitted to the Board for approval. (7-1-26) a. Whenever significant changes occur, which in the Department’s judgment may affect the design parameters or treatment requirements by either increasing or decreasing the need for or scope of any project, a reevaluation of that priority rating will be conducted. (7-1-26) b. A project that does not or will not meet the Department schedule that allows for timely utilization of loan funds may be bypassed, substituting in its place the next highest ranking project(s) that is ready to proceed. An eligible applicant that is bypassed will be notified in writing of the reasons for being bypassed. (7-1-26) 05. Amendment of a Priority List. The Director may amend a priority list as set forth in Section 995. (7-1-26)