Section 662.345  Loan Priority Score

a)         Projects will be scored and ranked for inclusion on the Project Priority List using the loan priority score methodology set forth in this Section.

b)         The Agency will calculate the loan priority score by totaling the points awarded in subsections (e) through (k).

c)         Applicants with a higher loan priority score will be ranked above applicants with a lower loan priority score on the Project Priority List.

d)         Only projects that have a submitted a Funding Nomination Form and have a project plan approved by the Agency will be scored pursuant to this Section.

e)         Compliance and Water Quality

1)         A maximum of 475 points may be awarded under this subsection (e).

2)         150 points will be awarded if the project will remedy an acute violation or health hazard, as those terms are defined in Section 662.110.

3)         100 points will be awarded if the project will remedy a chronic violation, as defined in Section 662.110.

4)         75 points will be awarded if the project is expected to result in the applicant's removal from the Restricted Status List established in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 602.106 or Critical Review List established in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 602.107.

5)         75 points will be awarded if the project consolidates two or more community water supplies into a single community water supply.

6)         50 points will be awarded if the project will replace lead service lines.

7)         25 points will be awarded if the project will result in the applicant's compliance with secondary maximum contaminant levels as set forth in 40 CFR 143.3 (2018).

f)         Protection of Water Source

1)         A maximum of 150 points may be awarded under this subsection (f).

2)         150 points will be awarded if the applicant has implemented a Source Water Protection Plan as provided in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 604.

3)         75 points will be awarded if the applicant has not implemented, but has obtained Agency approval of, its Source Water Protection Plan as provided in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 604.335.

g)         Protection of Assets

1)         A maximum of 75 points may be awarded under this subsection (g).

2)         75 points will be awarded if the applicant is implementing an asset management plan as defined in Section 662.110.

3)         25 points will be awarded if the applicant is developing an asset management plan as defined in Section 662.110.

h)         Conservation and Green Infrastructure

1)         A maximum of 70 points may be awarded under this subsection (h).

2)         15 points will be awarded if the project includes or is based upon completion of a system-wide water audit (e.g., water loss accounting), or contains other quantifiable water conservation or efficiency measures, including, but not limited to, metering and water reuse.

3)         10 points will be awarded if the utility rate structuring promotes water conservation.

4)         10 points will be awarded if the project utilizes:

A)        improved technologies and practices to reduce energy consumption or uses energy in a more efficient way; or

B)        renewable energy to reduce water system expenditures or produces renewable energy through measures including, but not limited to, solar panels or wind turbines.

5)         20 points will be awarded if the project contains resiliency components, including facilities built for redundancy, or if the project assists a loan applicant with planning for potential service disruptions, natural or manmade.

6)         15 points will be awarded if the project implements green infrastructure including, but not limited to, green roofs, pervious pavement, rainwater harvesting or cisterns, sustainable landscaping, constructed wetlands, LEED certified buildings, and riparian buffers.

i)          Readiness to Proceed

1)         A maximum of 120 points may be awarded under this subsection (i).

2)         20 points will be awarded if the loan application required by Section 662.350(a) has been submitted to the Agency.

3)         20 points will be awarded if the applicant has obtained necessary permits to begin construction of the project or the Agency determines that no permit is required for the project. 

4)         40 points will be awarded if the requirements of Section 662.350(a) through (d) have been satisfied.

5)         40 points will be awarded if the requirement of Section 662.350(e) has been satisfied.

j)          Economic Factors

1)         A maximum of 135 points may be awarded under this subsection (j).

2)         Median Household Income (MHI).  The following points will be awarded based on the MHI of the applicant's service population as a percentage of the statewide average MHI:

3)         User Rates.  The following points will be awarded based on the average annual residential user fees after the project is constructed as a percentage of MHI of the applicant's service population (i.e., average annual user fees/MHI) x 100).

4)         Unemployment Rate.  The following points will be awarded when the applicant's unemployment rate is greater than the statewide average:

k)         Population

1)         A maximum of 50 points may be awarded under this subsection (k).

2)         Population.  The following points will be awarded based on the applicant's service population.

(Source:  Added at 43 Ill. Reg. 11209, effective October 1, 2019)