Barnstable County is pleased to provide low-interest betterment loans to Cape Cod homeowners faced with the cost of repairing or replacing failed septic systems, upgrading to alternative septic system technologies, as well as connecting to municipal sewers. Cape Cod AquiFund provides equitable access to financial assistance to help Cape Cod homeowners meet clean water goals.

Cape Cod AquiFund currently offers 0%, 2%, 4%, and 5%* interest betterment loans.

Septic system repairs, replacements, upgrades and I/A system installations are ONLY eligible for 4% interest rate loans.

Septic system repairs, replacements, upgrades, and I/A system installations are NOT eligible for 0% or 2% interest rate loans.

The following are provided as examples of projects which are currently eligible for 4% interest loans and are NOT eligible for 0% and 2% interest loans.

This is a list of examples only and is non-exhaustive.

  • Cesspool Upgrade
  • Septic System Repair
  • Septic System Replacement
  • Leaching Field/Leaching Pit Replacement
  • I/A System Installation

Cape Cod AquiFund also offers an income-based interest rate system for homeowners being mandated to connect to town sewers.

At this time, ONLY new sewer connections are eligible for 0% and 2% interest loans.

To be eligible for 0% and 2% betterment loans, applicants must meet the following additional criteria1:

  • New program applications only.
  • Property must be a single-family, owner-occupied, year-round, primary residence.
  • Property is not used as a place of business other than a home office.

Please note: Rental and/or seasonal properties do NOT qualify for 0% or 2% betterment loans, even if the property is being mandated to connect to the town sewer. Rental and/or seasonal properties ONLY qualify for 4% interest rate loans.

*Properties on the market qualify for a 5% interest rate. Properties on the market are NOT eligible for 0%, 2%, or 4% interest rate loans.

1 – Interest rates and eligibility criteria are subject to change without notice.

All AquiFund betterment loans are subject to the following terms and conditions:

  • Available to residential properties only
  • Maximum 20-year repayment term
  • 14% interest rate for accounts in arrears (behind on payments)
  • Early repayment fees may apply.

If you have questions about interest rates or eligibility criteria, please contact Cape Cod AquiFund at (774) 330-3010.

Contact Information

AquiFund General Contact

Alice Ryan, Program Manager

Angela Do Carmo, Loan Manager

Pilar Ahmann, Loan Specialist

Cinthia Madden, Billing Specialist

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Frequently Asked Questions

For septic system repairs, replacements, and I/A system installations, we recommend that you apply for the program once your septic system has been inspected and certified failed or is showing signs and symptoms indicating failure.

For town sewer connections, you must wait and apply for the program ONLY after you have received the Notice to Connect letter from your town’s Board of Health. Town sewer applications cannot be approved until the Notice to Connect letter has been issued.

An original completed application, signed and dated, along with a signed and dated copy of your most recent 1040 Federal Tax Return and your most recent mortgage statement is required at a minimum. If you do not file a Federal Tax Return, evidence of sources of income (e.g. Social Security benefits, pension benefits, etc.) should be submitted along with your application.

Currently, there is no minimum income requirement to apply for this program. However, applicants will be required to submit most recent proof of income with their application.

Only residential properties are eligible for program funding. Primary residences, seasonal residences, secondary residences, and condominiums are examples of eligible properties. Commercial properties are not eligible for program funding.

Frequent pumping, liquid at the surface, gurgling sounds or slow drainage of sinks, shower, or toilets and especially liquid flowing back into your basement are symptoms indicative of a failed septic system.

Once we are in receipt of all required information, your application can be accepted in as little as 48 hours. Applications requiring additional review may take longer.

Yes, the program can include the cost of engineering in the homeowner’s total loan amount. The loan also covers all work directly related to the septic system, I/A system, or town sewer connection installation. Incidental work associated with the project (e.g. loam & seed after work completion, repair to a driveway damaged during construction, required plumbing changes, etc.) is also generally covered.

A homeowner should start soliciting bids from engineers and/or licensed installation contractors as soon as possible. A homeowner is not required to have an accepted bid at the time of loan application, however, a signed and accepted bid from the homeowner’s chosen engineer/installation contractor must be submitted to Cape Cod AquiFund before funding can be fully approved.

The decision is up to the homeowner. We recommend 3 bids, however, this is not a requirement. The homeowner should obtain as many bids as they feel is necessary to obtain a competitive bid. All obtained bids, including the homeowner’s accepted bid, should be forwarded to Cape Cod AquiFund for review.

Homeowners must sign the chosen bid and forward the bid to AquiFund. Once received, AquiFund will prepare a Betterment Agreement for the homeowner to have signed in the presence of a notary public. The original and complete betterment agreement must be returned to AquiFund via mail.

Inform the contractor you will be financing your project through Cape Cod AquiFund. It is our recommendation that the homeowner does not pay any deposits unless the homeowner would like to pay for the deposits out of pocket. Any payments made to a contractor by a homeowner cannot be reimbursed by Cape Cod AquiFund.

Cape Cod AquiFund will disburse all payments directly to the contractor. The homeowner will not receive any of the funds. The homeowner should not pay for any work as our program does not offer any reimbursements.

You will be billed directly by Cape Cod AquiFund, and you will make payments on a monthly basis directly to Cape Cod AquiFund.

Cape Cod AquiFund records a Notice of Betterment Assessment at the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds for the amount borrowed.

The maximum term is 20 years.

You can pay more than the minimum payment due, and this amount will be credited to your outstanding principal thereby reducing the term of your loan and lowering your total interest payment.

If you pay your loan off within one year of receipt of your first payment, you will be charged a $400* early repayment fee.

*Subject to change without notice.

By law, the interest rate will increase from 14% per annum. Your account will return to it’s original interest rate if past due principal and interest payments become current.

A Certificate of Dissolving Betterments will be prepared once the loan has been paid in full. The Certificate will be recorded by Cape Cod AquiFund on behalf of the homeowner at the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds. Cost of recordation is the responsibility of the homeowner.

No. If the owner sells or transfers the property, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the unpaid balance of principal and interest shall become due and payable to the County.

No. Betterment loans are considered a tax, and as such cannot be subordinated to new or existing mortgages.

There is a tax credit available for primary residence property owners. You should contact the state Department of Revenue with questions and to obtain Schedule SC necessary in order to obtain the credit.

There is no anticipated shortage of funding for this program.

 

About AquiFund

Cape Cod AquiFund (formerly Community Septic Management Loan Program), is a financial assistance program aimed at upgrading failed residential septic systems to Title 5 standards made possible by the enactment of the Open Space Bond Bill of 1996. This law appropriated $30 million to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to assist qualified homeowners in defraying the cost of complying with Title 5 regulations. In turn, MassDEP used this appropriation to fund loans through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (MCWT).

For over 15 years, the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment has administered program on behalf of all 15 Cape Cod towns. As a way of streamlining the program, Barnstable County secured special legislation in 2006 allowing AquiFund to borrow money directly from the MCWT. To date, AquiFund has provided over $52.5 million in loans for over 4,550 septic system repairs, including sewer hook-ups. Program funds from the state remain available into the foreseeable future, allowing the program to continue providing an effective and efficient means of assisting area residents with often cost-prohibitive yet essential septic system requirements.

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