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Wastewater Treatment

Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems 

If your home is not connected to a municipal sewer system or your property is not suitable for a septic system, you are required by Department of Environmental Quality to install an on-site residential wastewater treatment system. These systems are easy to install, more cost-effective, use a minimal amount of space and have lower maintenance costs.

Energy Trust Incentives

Alternative On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems incentive: $400

To qualify for this incentive:

  • On-site wastewater treatment systems must use no more than 180 kWh per year, based on a design-consumption rate of 150 gallons per day, or the typical daily rate for a three-person home. 
  • System must be one of the following models:
  • You must have a site evaluation by the Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ—or a county organization working on behalf of DEQ—which finds that the site will not allow for a standard wastewater treatment system; therefore, an alternative wastewater treatment system that meets either Treatment Standard 1 or Treatment Standard 2 is required.
  • Incentive application must include a Site Approval letter from DEQ, or county organization working on behalf of DEQ, as well as a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion

Incentive offer is subject to availability of funding and may change.

Tax Credits

Oregon Residential Energy Tax Credit: Potential Oregon tax credit may be available. View availability and requirements. Ask your tax professional for complete details.

Federal energy tax credit: Potential federal tax credit may be available. View availability and requirements. Ask your tax professional for complete details.

You must be an Oregon customer of Portland General Electric or Pacific Power to receive this incentive.

For newly built homes, wastewater treatment systems must be installed within 90 days of the completion of the home’s construction.

For Existing Homes

1: Establish your eligibility.

2: Select a contractor to install your alternative on-site wastewater treatment system.
To receive an Energy Trust cash incentive, contact a quality, energy-efficiency trained Energy Trust trade ally contractor or any contractor with a current Oregon Construction Contractors Board, CCB, license. 

3: Submit your application and completed forms within 90 days of installation.
Often, your contractor will help you complete the application form. Mail or fax your signed and completed incentive application; a Site Approval letter from DEQ stating the site will not allow for a standard wastewater treatment system (therefore, an alternative wastewater treatment system must meet either Treatment Standard 1 (TS1) or Treatment Standard 2 (TS2) is required); a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion from DEQ; along with your contractor’s invoice identifying the installation as a qualifying alternative wastewater treatment system—marked “paid in full”—to: 

Mail:

Energy Trust of Oregon
Existing Homes
P.O. Box 40508
Portland, OR 97240

Fax: 1.866.516.7592

Please allow six to eight weeks for incentive processing and payment.

Questions? Call us at 1.866.368.7878.

For Newly Built Homes

1: Establish your eligibility.

3: Submit your application and completed forms within 90 days of installation.
Mail or fax your signed and completed incentive application; a Site Approval letter from DEQ stating the site will not allow for a passive wastewater treatment system (therefore, an alternative wastewater treatment system must meet either Treatment Standard 1 (TS1) or Treatment Standard 2 (TS2) is required); a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion from DEQ

Mail:

Energy Trust of Oregon
New Homes
100 SW Main St., Suite 1600
Portland, OR 97201

Fax: 1.855.575.4315

Please allow six to eight weeks for incentive processing and payment.

Questions? Call us at 1.877.283.0698.

For Existing Homes

Please mail or fax Form 320ATT (PDF | Doc) (along with your contractor’s invoice marked “paid in full”) to receive your cash incentive.

For Newly Built Homes

Please mail or fax Form 620ATT (PDF | Doc) to receive your cash incentive.