State grants are now available to help owners of dry household wells, or ones hit by wildfire
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.
