Deadline Midnight, September 4: Final opportunity to apply for septic system assistance

This is the final application window for the Fiscal Year 2027 funding cycle. Applications opened June 1, and late applications will not be processed.

Source: New Mexico Environment Department
Photos Courtesy NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, “Septic Tank Maintenance“

SANTA FE — New Mexico homeowners have until midnight on Sept. 4 to apply for financial assistance to repair or replace failing septic systems through the New Mexico Environment Department’s Liquid Waste Disposal Assistance Fund.

This is the final application window for the Fiscal Year 2027 funding cycle. Applications opened June 1, and late applications will not be processed.

The Liquid Waste Disposal Assistance Fund, now in its third year, helps eligible low-income homeowners address failing or noncompliant septic systems that can threaten groundwater, public health and the environment. Funding may be used to repair or replace an existing septic system or, in some cases, help cover the cost of connecting a home to a central wastewater system.

A poly septic tank. (Courtesy NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, “Septic Tank Maintenance“)

“Replacing a failing septic system can be an unexpected and significant expense for New Mexico families,” saidNMED Environmental Health Division Director Bill Schaedla. “This program helps homeowners address those problems before they become larger threats to their families, their neighbors and our groundwater.”

New Mexico has an estimated 360,000 septic systems, many of them in rural communities that also rely on private wells for drinking water. Aging or failing systems can release untreated wastewater into surrounding soil and groundwater.

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NMED anticipates funding at least 12 projects statewide during the FY27 cycle. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and NMED staff will contact applicants if additional information is needed.

Applicants must:

• Own or be in the process of purchasing the home where the work will occur.
• Have lived in the home for at least one year.
• Meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development county income guidelines and applicable home-value limits.

Applicants will also need to provide proof of property ownership, proof of residency for at least one year, household income documentation and a government-issued ID.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the LWDAF application website by midnight Sept. 4, 2026. Award announcements are expected in September.

For questions or assistance with the application process, contact Suzanne Lopez, LWDAF Administrative Specialist, at (505) 469-3048, or Michael Broussard, LWDAF Program Manager, at (505) 470-5809.