December 9, 2015 - The Angelina & Neches River Authority (ANRA) is accepting applications for grants to install or replace On‐Site Sewage Facilities (OSSFs), also known as septic systems, in the Attoyac Bayou watershed. The Attoyac Bayou is listed as impaired for E. coli bacteria in the Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality. Failed On‐Site Sewage Facilities have been identified in the Attoyac Bayou Watershed Protection Plan as a leading contributor to these bacterial impairments.
The grants, funded by a federal Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), are intended to improve water quality in the Attoyac Bayou by replacing failed On‐Site Sewage Facilities. Funding is available to design, permit, and install approximately twenty‐three (23) On‐Site Sewage Facilities within the boundary of the Attoyac Bayou watershed.
In order to qualify for these grants, homeowners must reside within the portion of Rusk, Shelby, Nacogdoches, or San Augustine Counties that are within the Attoyac Bayou Watershed.
Grants will be awarded based upon proximity to the Attoyac Bayou, distance to Sam Rayburn Reservoir, the condition of the current On‐Site Sewage Facility (no system, failing system, or a system that is not appropriate for the soil type), and household income. Applicants must be at or below 150% of the Median Household Income for the area in order to qualify. Qualifying income varies depending on family size. For example, the maximum income to qualify for a family of four is $61,889 per year, while the maximum income for a one‐person household is $43,332 per year. Qualifying income categories are available with the application packets.
For additional information or to receive an application packet, go to the ANRA’s Attoyac Bayou OSSF Grant website, http://www.anra.org/divisions/water_quality/crp/Attoyac_OSSF_Project.html or contact Brian Sims at bsims@anra.org, or call (936) 632‐7795.
For more information on the Attoyac Bayou Watershed Protection Plan, please visit the project website at http://attoyac.tamu.edu.
The Angelina & Neches River Authority’s central office is located in Lufkin, Texas. ANRA’s territorial jurisdiction consists of 8,500 square miles that lie wholly or in part of the following counties: Van Zandt, Smith, Henderson, Newton, Cherokee, Anderson, Rusk, Houston, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Shelby, Angelina, Trinity, Sabine, Polk, Jasper, and Orange. ANRA focuses on water quality management, water resource development, and water conservation.
