Priority Rating System

01. Purpose. A priority rating system will be utilized by the Department to annually allot available funds to projects determined eligible for funding assistance in accordance with these rules. (7-1-25) 02. Priority Rating for Drinking Water Systems. The priority rating system will be based on a numerical point system. Priority criteria will contain the following points. (7-1-25) a. Public Health Hazard. Any documented condition which creates, or may create, a 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: (7-1-25) 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 contaminates); (7-1-25) ii. Unresolved violations of pressure requirements; (7-1-25) iii. Reduction in source capacity that impacts the system’s ability to reliably serve water; (7-1-25) iv. Significant deficiencies (e.g., documented in a sanitary survey) in the physical system that is causing the system to not be able to reliably serve safe drinking water. (7-1-25) v. Unregulated contaminants that have been shown to be a hazard to public health. (7-1-25) b. General Conditions of Existing Facilities. Points will be given based on deficiencies (which may not constitute a public health hazard) for pumping, treating, storing, and delivering drinking water - up to sixty (60) points. (7-1-25) 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. (7-1-25) d. Regulatory compliance issues (e.g., noncompliance and resulting legal actions relating to infrastructure deficiencies of the public drinking water system) - up to thirty (30) points. (7-1-25) e. Incentives. Bonus points will be awarded to systems that promote source water protection, conservation, proper operation and maintenance, and monitoring - up to ten (10) points. (7-1-25) f. Affordability. Points will be given when current system user charges exceed state affordability guidelines - up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-25) 03. Priority Rating for Wastewater Systems. The priority rating system will be based on a numerical point system. Priority criteria will contain the following points. (7-1-25) a. Regulatory compliance issues (e.g., noncompliance and resulting legal actions relating to infrastructure deficiencies at a wastewater facility) – up to one hundred (100) points. (3-31-22) 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. (3-31-22) IDAHO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IDAPA 58.01.22 – Planning Grants for Department of Environmental Quality Drinking Water & Wastewater Facilities Section 030 Page 6 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. (3-31-22) d. Preventing impacts to uses (nonpoint source pollution projects) – up to one hundred (100) points. (3-31-22) 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. (3-31-22) f. Affordability (current system user charges exceed state affordability guidelines) – up to fifty (50) points. (7-1-25) 04. Priority List. A list will be developed from projects rated according to the priority rating system, submitted for public review and comment, and submitted to the Board for approval and adoption. (7-1-25) a. Whenever significant changes occur, which in the Department's judgment affects 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. (7-1-25) b. An eligible applicant whose project is on the approved priority list, and for which funding is available, will be contacted by the Department and a target date for submission of a completed grant application will be established. (7-1-25) c. A project that does not or will not meet the priority target date for submission of a completed application may be bypassed, substituting in its place the next highest ranking project that is ready to proceed. An eligible applicant that is bypassed will be notified in writing of the reasons for being bypassed. (7-1-25) 05. Amendment of Priority List. The Department may amend the priority list as set forth in Section 080. (7-1-25) 021. -- 029. (RESERVED)