Sourced from Craft3’s Oregon Clean Water Loan program page, Oregon DEQ’s Onsite Septic System Financial Aid Program pages and award list, and Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District — last checked August 2026.
The two programs everyone finds first, and why neither will help you today
Craft3 Clean Water Loan — closed March 31, 2026
Craft3 is a community lender that ran the best-known septic repair and replacement loan in Oregon. Its own program page now states: “State funding for Oregon’s Clean Water Loan Program was not renewed this legislative session, so we are not accepting new applications for septic repair or replacement loans. The application window closed March 31, 2026.”
This is a funding lapse, not a wind-down. It could return if the legislature renews it, which makes it worth re-checking rather than writing off.
DEQ Onsite Septic Financial Aid — never open to homeowners
DEQ received $15 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for onsite septic assistance. A homeowner searching for it will find the DEQ page and reasonably assume they can apply. They cannot, and never could.
It is a pass-through program: DEQ awarded the money to public agencies and community organizations, which then run their own assistance to property owners. DEQ’s own page states that “all awards are issued currently.” Funds had to be obligated to property owners by September 2024, and all projects must be complete by December 2026.
Where the money actually is
This is the part that is worth your time. Five organizations hold DEQ’s ARPA awards, and the money is live at their level until the December 2026 completion deadline.
| Organization | DEQ award |
|---|---|
| Craft3 | $2,964,554 |
| Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) | $2,453,045 |
| Community Action Team, Tillamook | $1,500,000 |
| Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District | $1,200,000 |
| Clean Water Services | $1,000,000 |
One known closure among them: Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District stopped accepting applications to its own program on October 1, 2024. If you are in Clackamas County, ask DEQ whether any of its award remains unallocated before assuming that door is shut.
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What septic help actually exists in Oregon right now
Straight answer first: both of Oregon’s headline septic assistance programs are closed to new applicants. They are still listed below, labeled, because a lot of pages elsewhere still send people to them. What is left is one federal program and a set of rights in the rules that most homeowners are never told about.
Other routes worth knowing about
USDA Rural Development Section 504 offers home repair loans and, for older applicants, grants, in eligible rural areas — septic repair and replacement qualify. The loan and grant limits, the interest rate and the age threshold are set federally and are periodically revised, so we are not printing figures that would go stale; check the current terms with USDA Rural Development directly. Much of Oregon outside the Willamette Valley metros is eligible territory.
Your county may run something of its own. Assistance in Oregon is fragmented and poorly indexed — the DEQ grantee list above is not the whole picture, and county programs come and go without announcement. It is worth asking the same office that issues your permit whether they know of anything local. Find your county’s office here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there financial help for septic repair in Oregon?
Both headline programs are closed to new applicants. Craft3’s Clean Water Loan stopped taking applications on March 31, 2026 after state funding was not renewed, and DEQ’s $15 million ARPA program never accepted applications from homeowners. However, the ARPA money still sits with five grantee organizations until December 2026.
Can I apply to Oregon DEQ for septic assistance?
No. The DEQ program is a pass-through: DEQ awarded the money to public agencies and community organizations, which run their own assistance. DEQ states that all awards are issued. Call DEQ on 503-539-3295 to ask which grantee covers your county.
Who holds the Oregon DEQ septic grant money?
Five organizations: Craft3 ($2,964,554), Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council ($2,453,045), Community Action Team in Tillamook ($1,500,000), Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District ($1,200,000) and Clean Water Services ($1,000,000). DEQ publishes the awards but not the service areas.
When does the Oregon ARPA septic money run out?
All projects must be complete by December 2026. That is a completion deadline, not an application deadline — and a septic replacement needs a site evaluation, a permit and an installer’s schedule, so the practical window is considerably shorter.