567—91.8 (455B) Project priority rating system.
	 91.8(1) Rating criteria. The rating criteria consider the use classification of the receiving waters, water quality of the receiving waters, groundwater protection, project type, project purpose, and a tiebreaker. Priority ranking for the projects shall be based on the total points awarded for all the categories; the greater the total number of points, the higher the ranking. For POTW projects, the ranking will be done at the time the IUP is prepared. For nonpoint source projects, if 90 percent of the set-aside is allocated, the ranking will be done at the time the project application is received. The tiebreaker category will be used when necessary.
	  a.   	 Use classification of receiving waters. This category addresses the receiving water that is impacted or potentially impacted by the existing situation and that would be improved or protected by the proposed project. Points shall be awarded and shall be cumulative for all designated use classifications of the receiving stream. Points for sludge stabilization, sewers and lift station projects normally will be based on the assigned use of the waters that receive or could receive the effluent discharge.

Use and Classification	Points	
Outstanding Iowa waters	45	
High quality waters	40	
High quality resource waters	20	
Class A1 waters	50	
Class A2 waters	45	
Class A3 waters	45	
Class C waters	40	
Class B (CW1) waters	50	
Class B (CW2) waters	30	
Class B (WW1) & HH waters	30	
Class B (WW2) waters	25	
Class B (WW3) waters	20	
Class B (LW) waters	35	
	  b.   	 Water quality of receiving waters. This category addresses the quality of water in the receiving stream and whether or not the water has been designated as impaired for some uses. Bodies of water that are impaired by pollutants are identified as the Section 303(d) list of waters in the integrated report of impaired waters status. The Section 303(d) list of waters also identifies probable pollutant source categories for these impairments. Projects that primarily impact these waters are awarded points if the water body that receives or could receive the wastewater discharge is included on the Section 303(d) list and the probable pollutant source is a point source. Waters are also identified in the Section 305(b) report on their use attainment status. Projects that primarily impact these waters are awarded points depending on the use impairment identified for the water body that receives or could receive the wastewater discharge. If no use impairment is identified indicating the water was not assessed, the partially supporting status points will be awarded. Points will be awarded for both A and B of the table below and then totaled for this category.

Indication of water quality	Points	
A	 	
Integrated Report of impaired waters status	 	
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, or 5a	15	
5b	10	
5p	5	
B	 	
Section 305(b) status	 	
Aquatics or fish consumption or drinking water	 	
Fully supporting	5	
Partially supporting	10	
Not supporting	15	
Not assessed	7	
Recreation	 	
Fully supporting	5	
Partially supporting	10	
Not supporting	15	
Not assessed	7	
	  c.   	 Protection of groundwater resources. This category considers the use of the aquifer affected by the project.

Groundwater Category	Points	
Wellhead protection area for public water supply	40	
Unconfined aquifer that serves as a drinking water source	20	
Other groundwater protection	10	
	  d.   	 Project type. In this category, points are provided based on the type of project and the relative level of the impact on public health and the environment. Points will be awarded only for the primary project type.

Project Type	Points	
Category I. Secondary wastewater treatment	40	
Category II. Advanced wastewater treatment	50	
Category III–A. Infiltration/inflow correction	30	
Category III–B. Sewer replacement/rehabilitation	30	
Category IV–A. New collector sewers and appurtenances	10	
Category IV–B. New interceptor sewers and appurtenances	20	
Category V. Combined sewer overflow correction	40	
Category VI. Storm water conveyance treatment systems and green infrastructure	30	
Category VII–A. Agriculture (cropland)	30	
Category VII–B. Agriculture (animals)	50	
Category VII–C. Silviculture	10	
Category VII–E. Groundwater protection (unknown sources)	20	
Category VII–F. Marinas	10	
Category VII–G. Resource extraction	10	
Category VII–H. Brownfields	30	
Category VII–I. Storage tanks	20	
Category VII–J. Landfills	30	
Category VII–K. Hydromodification	40	
Category X. Recycled water distribution	10	
Category XII. Decentralized sewage treatment	40	
Refinance of existing projects that meet CWSRF eligibility criteria	5	
	  e.   	 Project purpose. In this category, points are awarded based on the purpose and expected outcome of the project. Points will be awarded only for the primary purpose.

Project Purpose	Points	
Allows facility to meet new water quality standards	50	
Protects or restores the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of water resources at a specific site	50	
Reduces the loading of a parameter that has been identified as an impairment to the receiving water or watershed as identified through the total maximum daily load (TMDL) process	40	
Provides regional consolidation in wastewater treatment or system management	30	
Brings facility into compliance with a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or other administrative or judicial enforcement action as may be required by the department or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	25	
Eliminates or remediates a source of groundwater pollution	20	
Meets existing or reasonable future needs of the community in order to maintain compliance with an NPDES permit	15	
Provides operational reliability improvements, apart from projects which address compliance and enforcement	10	
	  f.   	 Total points. Total points are calculated using the following formula:
Total Points = Use Classification + Water Quality or Groundwater Protection + Project Type + Project Purpose
	  g.   	 Tiebreaker. Two or more projects may receive the same total points on the fundable list. If sufficient state revolving loan funds are not available to fund the projects, ties will be broken by determining which project has the highest score in each category in the following order:

• Use Classification of Receiving Streams	Highest		
• Water Quality of Receiving Streams (a+b)	↕		
• Groundwater Protection			
• Project Type			
			
• Project Purpose	Lowest		
	 91.8(2) Reserved.
[ARC 8596B, IAB 3/10/10, effective 4/14/10]