Middle Peninsula residents required to pump out septic tanks could be eligible for financial assistance through the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, Executive Director Lewie Lawrence announced this week.

Limited grant funding is available for low-to-moderate income households in the region on a first-come, first-served basis, thanks to funding from the Resilience Adaptation and Feasibility Tool (RAFT) Fund.

Approved participants will receive a voucher that covers up to $400 of the cost to uncover and pump out a septic tank. A list of participating septic haulers will be provided with the voucher.

Properties eligible for financial assistance must be located in a designated Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area in a Middle Peninsula locality (Counties of Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Mathews, and Middlesex and the Towns of Tappahannock, Urbanna, and West Point) and subject to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act’s requirement to pump out septic tanks every five years.

Applicants must own the property where the septic tank is located.

The deadline for applications is June 1, 2023 or until funds have been expended. For an application or additional information, please contact Dawn Mantell at 804-758-2311 or visit www.mppdc.com.