Each potential project is assigned points based on the criteria in the following table:

1. (1) Project Type Criteria (points may be awarded to only one criterion - 2 to 10 points)

   1. (a) Wastewater treatment works;

      1. (i) Elimination of a combined sewer overflow

         10 points

      2. (ii) Construction of a new or rehabilitation of an existing wastewater treatment facility to increase or maintain its capacity or treatment ability

         10 points

      3. (iii) Elimination of a sanitary sewer overflow

         8 points

      4. (iv) Reduction in infiltration/inflow identified through documented sources, such as televising or smoke testing

         6 points

      5. (v) Replacement of existing lift stations or lines without documented infiltration/inflow benefits

         4 points

      6. (vi) Installation of new lift stations, collectors, or interceptors to provide service to undeveloped areas

         2 points

   2. (b) Untreated/uncontrolled runoff;

      1. (i) Construction of a manure management system

         10 points

      2. (ii) Construction or rehabilitation of a storm water treatment/management facility

         8 points

      3. (iii) Development or implementation of an agricultural best manage-ment practice

         6 points

      4. (iv) Capping of a landfill

         6 points

      5. (v) Construction of storm water conveyance systems

         2 points

   3. (c) Groundwater pollution;

      1. (i) Elimination of septic systems

         10 points

      2. (ii) Removal of leaking underground storage tanks or remediation of impacts resulting from leaking underground storage tanks

         10 points

      3. (iii) Construction of systems, to include, but not limited to, liners, collection systems, and monitoring wells, to protect groundwater from leachate from landfills, hazardous waste sites, or other chemical storage facilities

         8 points

      4. (iv) Elimination of subsurface discharges

         6 points

   4. (d) Aquatic/riparian habitat and lake and stream restoration;

      1. (i) Shoreline restoration

         6 points

      2. (ii) Sediment removal

         5 points

      3. (iii) Re-configuring of streams to enhance in-stream habitat

         4 points

   5. (e) Other - projects of a type not described above receive 2 points

2. (2) Proposed project benefits criteria (points may be awarded to only one criterion - 0 to 10 points)

   1. (a) Projects that address enforcement activities

      10 points

   2. (b) Projects that address a documented water quality, public health, or safety issue, such as listing on the EPA quarterly noncompliance list, beach closings, stream sampling showing elevated fecal counts or fish kills

      10 points

   3. (c) Projects that are identified in an EPA approved project implementation plan under § 319 of the Act

      10 points

   4. (d) Projects that raise the treatment capability of wastewater treatment facility from secondary treatment to advanced treatment or total retention

      8 points

   5. (e) Projects that reduce the loading of a parameter that has been identified as an impairment to the receiving water or watershed as identified through the TMDL process

      8 points

   6. (f) Projects that eliminate or remediate a source of ground water pollution

      8 points

   7. (g) Projects that provide regional consolidation of facilities

      6 points

   8. (h) Projects that incorporate pollution prevention or waste minimization techniques

      4 points

3. (3) Water quality improvement criteria (points are cumulative for subsections (a) and (b) - 12 points maximum);

   1. (a) Surface water restoration (points may be awarded to only one criterion - 0 to 8 points);

      1. (i) Projects that benefit a priority 1 waterbody as identified on the list required by § 303(d) of the Act

         8 points

      2. (ii) Projects that benefit a priority 2 waterbody as identified on the list required by § 303(d) of the Act

         6 points

   2. (b) Source water quality protection (points may be awarded to only one criterion - 0 to 8 points);

      1. (i) Projects eliminating or remediating a potential contamination source within the source water area of a ground water public water supply as identified in a Source Water Assessment Report

         8 points

      2. (ii) Projects eliminating or remediating a potential contamination source within zone A of a surface water public water supply as identified in a Source Water Assessment Report

         8 points

      3. (iii) Projects eliminating or remediating a potential contamination source within zone B of a surface water public water supply as identified in a Source Water Assessment Report

         4 points

4. (4) Benefit magnitude criteria (points may be awarded to only one criterion - 2 to 10 points);

   1. (a) Projects designed to serve the populace of a municipality, sanitary district, or other special purpose district are awarded points based on the population of the applicant. The source of population data is the 2020 census as prepared by the Bureau of Census, Department of Commerce. Points are awarded based on the following table:

      1 to 200 persons

      2 points

      201 to 500 persons

      3 points

      501 to 1,000 persons

      4 points

      1,001 to 2,500 persons

      5 points

      2,501 to 5,000 persons

      6 points

      5,001 to 10,000 persons

      7 points

      10,001 to 30,000 persons

      8 points

      30,001 and greater

      10 points;

   2. (b) Projects benefiting a watershed or large rural area are awarded points based on the area of the benefited area as provided in the following table:

      less than 25,000 acres

      2 points

      25,000 to 100,000 acres

      5 points

      greater than 100,000 acres.

      8 points

Priority Criteria

Priority Points

Source: 29 SDR 87, effective December 22, 2002; 30 SDR 100, effective December 23, 2003; 36 SDR 208, effective June 28, 2010; 40 SDR 14, effective July 29, 2013 ; 49 SDR 100, effective May 22, 2023 .

General Authority: SDCL 46A-1-60.3 .

Law Implemented: SDCL 46A-1-60.1 to 46A-1-60.3 , inclusive .

Prior versions effective: 2013-07-29.