The Clackamas River provides drinking water to many residents of Clackamas County.
NOTE: As of June 9, 2021, CSWCD is not accepting any new applications for the Residential Septic System Repair Loan program until such a time as a new staff member is available to coordinate this program.
Did you know that the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District offers a Residential Septic System Repair and Replacement Loan Program to homeowners in the Clackamas River watershed?
Discovering that your septic system has failed is a miserable experience. Sadly, most septic systems will fail at some point because they are designed to have a useful life of 20 to 30 years under the best conditions. Older septic tanks with concrete or metal parts degrade over time. Eventually the soil in the drain field becomes clogged with organic material.
Why offer a septic repair and replacement program?
Septic systems can leak or break over time.
With over 300,000 people receiving their drinking water from the Clackamas River, protecting water quality is important! This is why we are working together with our partners in the watershed to help landowners apply conservation practices to protect clean water, an essential resource.
One increasingly common source of water contamination is old septic systems that are wearing out or leaking. These failing systems become a public health and water quality concern, especially when the home is along a river or stream that serves as a source of public drinking water such as the Clackamas River. If the problem is bad enough, a family may have to vacate the home until the septic system is repaired or replaced.
Septic system repair or replacement can be expensive and may not always be within a homeowner’s budget. Our Residential Septic System Repair and Replacement Loan Program enables us to assist homeowners in the Clackamas River watershed with costs that they may not otherwise be able to afford.
The District coordinates this loan program with funds provided by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. This is an exciting opportunity to help landowners protect water quality in the Clackamas River watershed and address public health concerns.
Who is Eligible to participate in this program?
The Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District offers a Residential Septic System Repair and Replacement Loan Program to homeowners in the Clackamas River watershed. Eligible locations within the watershed include identified areas of Oregon City, Gladstone, Happy Valley, Damascus, Boring, Carver, Barton, Sandy, Eagle Creek, Estacada, and rural home sites along the Clackamas River and tributaries. Click on the map below to see if your property falls within the loan program boundaries.
Does your property fall within the loan program boundaries? Take a look! (Program area extends at lower right corner of map.)
Looking for Additional Information?
For details on our Septic System Loan Program, visit our Residential Septic System Repair and Replacement Loan Program web page or call us at 503-210-6000.
If you would like information regarding additional Septic System Financial Assistance for homeowners in the Clackamas River watershed, please contact our partners at Clackamas River Water Providers at 503-723-3510.
For technical assistance or questions about septic system permits, call Clackamas County Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems at 503-742-4740.