State grants are now available to help owners of dry household wells, or ones hit by wildfire
KTVZ
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Water Resources Department is now accepting grant applications for the Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement Fund to help low- to moderate-income homeowners with the cost to repair or replace and abandon a dry well or a well damaged or destroyed by wildfire.
WARRF provides up to $40,000 per grant to eligible homeowners. A total of $1.4 million is available, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Homeowners who meet all the following criteria may be eligible.
The well:
Is connected to the home to supply water for household use
Can no longer provide enough water for essential in-home use including drinking, cooking and bathing
Is not a public water supply well
The property:
Has no other available source of water
Is owner-occupied on a full-time basis (unless displaced by wildfire)
The owner:
Owns no other property
For dry wells, has owned the property for at least one year
For damaged or destroyed wells, owned the property before the fire
Apply or learn more at owrd.info/warrf. For assistance, or to request a paper application, call 503-779-5763 or email owrd.well.funding@water.oregon.gov.
In addition, Oregonians experiencing a dry well are encouraged to report it to OWRD via owrd.info/reportdrywell to OWRD. This reporting helps scientists and water managers better understand changes in groundwater supplies and potential impacts.