Washington is getting a break when it comes to funding for sewer rehabilitation projects.

During the council’s Feb. 23 meeting, the council authorized the city to apply for a $2 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for the sewer work.

“As you can tell from the attached Letter of Intent, we were not only successful in being award the amount which we applied for, but $500,000 was awarded in the form of principal forgiveness which will not have to be paid back. The other $1.5 million will be 0% interest loan,” reads at memorandum from Allen Lewis, the city’s director of public works, to the mayor and City Council.

The memorandum is part of the council’s tentative agenda for its meeting Monday,

During the Feb. 23 meeting, the council was made aware the city could get a could deal on financing for the proposed project.

“Staff feels like we could be successful in applying for work to reduce inflow and infiltration (I/I) in some of our older gravity sewer lines,” Lewis wrote in a previous memorandum.

Inflow and infiltration is when water from outside sources (mostly groundwater) enters sewer lines through cracks, holes and faulty joints. I&I adds to wastewater-treatment costs because it increased the amount of wastewater to be treated.

Last year, the city received a $35,000 grant to pay for an I&I study to determine where outside water enters the sewer system. That study uses visual inspection and smoke tests to locate possible I&I sites in the sewer system.

“Our intent, right now, is to look at the drainage basin for 13^th and Bridge streets and that pump station. We have a lot of I&I issues there, as well as in the historic district. … We wanted to get this information to you as quick as we could because there’s a March 31 deadline on it,” then-City Manager Brian Alligood said at the Feb. 23 meeting.

About 14 years ago, a study identified about $12 million worth of drainage projects in the city. Revenue raised by the city’s stormwater fees is supposed to pay for such projects.

The council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers in the Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St. To view the council’s agenda for a specific meeting, visit the city’s web­site at www.washingtonnc.gov, click “Government” then “City Council” heading, then click “Meeting Agendas” on the menu to the right. Then click on the date for the appropriate agenda.