Sustainability Resources for Communities 

Oregon communities pursue sustainable solutions to restore and protect water quality. Oregon's Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides communities a set-aside reserve for funding green projects.

• Managing for Sustainability Tools
• CWSRF Green Project Reserve Eligibility Guidelines
• Energy Efficiency Tools
• Water Efficiency Tools
• Green Infrastructure Information
• Environmentally Innovative Projects

Managing for Sustainability Tools

Best practices for operating and managing a wastewater treatment facility can conserve energy and water, save money and attain permit requirements.

• EPA's Effective Water Utility Management
• Effective Utility Management: A Primer for Water and Wastewater Utilities
• Strategic Planning: A Handbook for Small Water Systems One of the Simple Tools for Effective Performance Guide Series (EPA, 2003)
• Managing for Excellence: Analysis of Water and Wastewater Utility Management Systems (EPA, 2005)
• Sustainable Infrastructure for Small System Public Services: A Planning and Resource Guide (Rural Community Assistance Partnership, 2011)
• Planning for Sustainability - A Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities (EPA, 2012)

Green Project Reserve Eligibility Guidelines

The Green Project Reserve funds eligible projects that:

• incorporate green practices
• reduce the environmental footprint of wastewater treatment, collection and distribution
• address climate change
• conserve water and energy
• implement more sustainable solutions to wet weather flows
• advance innovative approaches to water management

EPA's Green Project Reserve Eligibility Guidance should be used in determining a project's eligibility for this funding. Wastewater utilities can take savings derived from reducing water losses and energy consumption and use them for public health and environmental enhancement projects. For more information about EPA's sustainability policy, see the following links:

• Sustainable Water Infrastructure and EPA's New Sustainability Policy Facts
• EPA's Clean Water and Drinking Water Infrastructure Sustainability Policy

Energy Efficiency Tools

Improved technologies and practices at Oregon wastewater treatment facilities reduce energy consumption, use energy more efficiently and sometimes produce renewable energy that can be used to power the facility.

• Ensuring a Sustainable Future: An Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and Water Utilities (EPA, 2008)
• Evaluation of Energy Conservation Measures for Wastewater Treatment Facilities (EPA, 2010)
• Energy Efficiency RFP Guidance for Water-Wastewater Projects (Consortium for Energy Efficiency, 2010)
• Achieve Energy Independence at Wastewater Treatment Plants (Energy Trust of Oregon, 2010)
• Bonneville Power Administration’s Energy Smart Industrial Program
• Energy Trust of Oregon’s Program
• Oregon Wastewater Energy Incentives

Water Efficiency Tools

Oregon irrigation districts using improved technologies and practices provide services with less water and therefore protect water resources.

• Three Sisters Irrigation District Piping Open Canals
• Farmers Irrigation District Sustainability Vision (FID, 2009)
• Water Availability Overview

Green Infrastructure Information

On a regional scale, green infrastructure preserves and restores forests, floodplains and wetlands by reducing impervious surfaces in the watershed. Locally, green infrastructure includes site-specific and neighborhood-specific practices such as bioretention, trees, green roofs, permeable pavements and cisterns.

• Integrating Low Impact Development (LID) into local codes
• Managing Wet Weather for Green Infrastructure
• Green Infrastructure in Arid Climates (EPA, 2010)
• Portland's Sustainable Approach to Stormwater Management
• Save the Rain - Onondaga County, New York
• Municipal Handbook for Managing Wet Weather (EPA, 2008)

Environmentally Innovative Projects

Environmentally innovative projects demonstrate new and/or innovative approaches to delivering services or managing water resources in a more sustainable way. These activities include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preparing for adaptation to climate change, constructing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design/LEED-certified buildings, and are otherwise consistent with EPA’s State Revolving Fund sustainability policy.

Constructed wetlands used for municipal wastewater treatment, effluent polishing and/or effluent disposal is an example of an environmentally innovative project that requires development of a business case to be eligible for the Green Project Reserve monies. The successful Talking Waters Constructed Wetlands in Albany-Millersburg provides helpful lessons to others.

• EPA Climate Change and Water
• EPA Climate Leaders Program
• Talking Waters Constructed Wetlands
• The Climate Registry: North America's Leaders Solving Climate Change Together
• Resource for LEED Certification of Buildings
• U.S. Green Building Council

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