Grants and financing
Septic grants and financing for the Indian River Lagoon 2030 rule
Florida homeowners in the Indian River Lagoon area get septic money from counties, not the state: Brevard pays $6,000 to $20,000 toward an ENR upgrade and up to $24,000 to connect to sewer, and Indian River County has announced up to $15,000 for sewer connections. FDEP's statewide Septic Upgrade Incentive Program is for springs areas, not the lagoon.
Not sure which programs fit you?
Answer five quick questions and see the grants, loans and payment plans that match your county, income and age. Nothing you pick is sent anywhere.
Every program at a glance
| Program | Where | Who qualifies | How much | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOIRL septic upgrade grant | Brevard lagoon watershed | Owners upgrading to an advanced (ENR) system; no income limit published | $6,000 minimum, up to $20,000 per parcel | Open; approval before work starts | Brevard grant |
| SOIRL quick connect sewer grant | Brevard lagoon watershed | Owners connecting a septic home to available sewer | Up to $12,000 gravity, $24,000 with a pump | Open | Brevard sewer grant |
| Sewer Connection Assistance | Indian River County | Owners where county sewer is available | Up to $15,000 | Announced; portal not open yet | Indian River County |
| STEP help with the Clean Water Coalition | City of Vero Beach utility area | Homesteaded owners, income up to 4 times the poverty level | About $15,000 of help; you repay $5,500 at 0% | Funding after 2025 not confirmed | Vero Beach |
| Low pressure sewer connection | Fort Pierce Utilities Authority area | FPUA customers where sewer is available | $10,395 single-family, financing available; about half paid by a grant for at least 38 homes | Open | St. Lucie |
| SHIP home repair | City and county housing offices | Income up to 80% of area median, some to 120% | Up to $10,000 to $35,000 depending on the office | Most keep waiting lists | SHIP |
| USDA Section 504 | USDA rural areas only | Very low income; grant needs age 62+ | Loan up to $40,000 at 1%; grant up to $10,000 | Open all year | USDA 504 |
| Utility payment plans | Most sewer utilities | Owners connecting to sewer | Spread over 2 to 10 years | Ask your utility | Financing |
| PACE financing | Where your county or city allows it | Any income; based on home equity and tax record | Can cover the whole job | Septic covered since July 2024 | PACE |
| Volusia lagoon area | Oak Hill, Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach | No lagoon-area septic grant found; SHIP repair up to $20,000 | Volusia |
Amounts are the most a program pays, from each program's own page or plan as of the date above. Your amount may be lower. Status changes; confirm with the office before you sign anything.
Find what you qualify for
Answer five questions and we will list the programs that fit, best first. Nothing you pick is sent anywhere.
Five quick questions
Income limits depend on household size and county, so treat every match as a lead to check, not a promise.
Your matches
Nothing on our list fits those answers. Private financing still works for almost anyone; see financing.
Want help with the paperwork? We will connect you with one licensed installer who serves your county and can help with the grant application and a written quote.
See every program on one list
- Brevard SOIRL septic upgrade grant: $6,000 minimum, up to $20,000 per parcel Owners in Brevard's lagoon watershed upgrading to an advanced (ENR) system. No income limit published. Approval before work starts.
- Brevard SOIRL septic-to-sewer quick connect grant: Up to $12,000 (gravity) or $24,000 (needs a pump or force main) Brevard lagoon watershed owners connecting a septic home to available sewer. Approval before work starts.
- Palm Bay connection fee waiver and payment agreement: City connection fees reported waived; pay the rest over up to 5 years Palm Bay utility customers on septic where sewer is available.
- Indian River County Sewer Connection Assistance: Up to $15,000 per property Indian River County owners where county sewer is available. Income rules not yet published.
- Vero Beach STEP help (Clean Water Coalition): About $15,000 of help; you repay $5,500 at 0% over 10 years Homesteaded owners in the City of Vero Beach utility area with income up to 4 times the poverty level.
- Indian River County SHIP emergency repair: Up to $35,000, including septic tank problems Owner-occupants with low to moderate income.
- Fort Pierce Utilities Authority low pressure sewer: $10,395 for a single-family home, financing available FPUA service area homes where low pressure sewer is available. A Lagoon Council grant tentatively covers about half the cost for at least 38 homes.
- Port St. Lucie septic-to-sewer conversion: $8,258, or $67.90 a month at 0% for 10 years Port St. Lucie utility customers. Most of the city is outside the 2030 area.
- Port St. Lucie SHIP sewer connection grant: Up to $10,000 Port St. Lucie homeowners with low to moderate income.
- Volusia County SHIP emergency repair: Up to $20,000, including septic and sewer hook-up Owner-occupants up to 80% of median income, limited funds up to 120%. Not Daytona Beach or Deltona.
- Your city or county SHIP repair program: Varies; several plans cover septic or sewer work Owner-occupants with low to moderate income. Titusville, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Fort Pierce, Brevard and St. Lucie counties run their own.
- USDA Section 504 repair loan: Up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years Very low income owner-occupants in USDA rural areas.
- USDA Section 504 repair grant: Up to $10,000 Very low income owners 62 or older in USDA rural areas.
- Pay sewer connection charges in installments: Monthly payments over up to 2 years under state law; longer at some utilities Owners notified that sewer is coming.
- PACE financing on your tax bill: Can cover the whole job; repaid with property taxes Any income. Only where your county or city allows PACE; the lien comes before your mortgage.
- Home equity, credit union and installer financing: Any amount you qualify for Anyone; compare rates and watch for deferred interest.
The short version by county
- Brevard: the best-funded county. $6,000 to $20,000 for an ENR upgrade and up to $24,000 for a sewer hookup, from the Save Our Indian River Lagoon sales tax. The tax renewal is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
- Indian River: the main path is sewer. Up to $15,000 per property has been announced for connections; the application portal had not opened as of November 1, 2026. Vero Beach has its own STEP help for lower-income owners.
- St. Lucie: payment plans more than grants. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority and Port St. Lucie both finance connections.
- Volusia: no lagoon-area septic grant found. Income-qualified owners can try the county's SHIP emergency repair, and Oak Hill addresses can try USDA.
Is there a state ENR grant?
Not for lagoon homeowners. Florida's Septic Upgrade Incentive Program paid up to $10,000 per home, but only in springs areas, and it now runs through county programs there. The state's lagoon money, $25 million in 2026-27, goes to counties, cities and utilities, which then fund the programs above. More in ENR grant: what exists and what does not.
Before you apply: three rules
- Get approved before any work starts. Brevard requires a written notice to proceed; SHIP and USDA will not pay for work already done.
- Get a written quote from a licensed contractor. Every program asks what the money pays for.
- Keep every permit, invoice and receipt. Most grants pay by reimbursement against paperwork.
Our step by step guide and document checklist covers the rest. Common questions are on the septic grant FAQ.
Why start now
The law gives every covered home the same date: July 1, 2030. Licensed installers' calendars will fill as it gets closer, and grants take weeks to approve before work can start. Two things are moving right now: Brevard voters decide on the lagoon sales tax that pays for its grants on November 3, 2026, and Indian River County's $15,000 program is getting ready to open. We update this page when either changes.
Get help applying
We will connect you with one licensed installer who serves your county. They can write the quote the grant office needs and help with the grant paperwork. Free for homeowners, no obligation.
Your address, your answer
Find out what the 2030 rule means for your home
Type your address to see if it is inside the program area, whether state records show septic or sewer, your lot size and, in Brevard, an estimate of the county grant. Free, about ten seconds.
Questions people ask
Are there grants for septic systems in Florida?
Yes, but they are local. Near the Indian River Lagoon, Brevard County pays $6,000 to $20,000 toward an ENR septic upgrade and up to $12,000 or $24,000 toward a sewer connection, and Indian River County has announced up to $15,000 for sewer connections. The state's own Septic Upgrade Incentive Program covers springs areas, not the lagoon. Lower-income owners can also get city or county SHIP repair money and, in rural areas, USDA Section 504 help.
Is there a grant for an ENR septic system?
In Brevard, yes: the Save Our Indian River Lagoon septic upgrade grant. Elsewhere in the lagoon area there is no ENR upgrade grant for homeowners right now. See the ENR grant question, answered.
Do I have to pay the grant back?
County grants like Brevard's are not loans. SHIP help usually comes as a 0% loan that is forgiven if you stay in the home for a set time, and USDA grants can have to be repaid if you sell soon after. Read each program's terms.
Can I get a grant for work I already did?
Most programs say no: you must be approved before work starts. Brevard is an exception for its septic upgrade grant: the county says it approves retroactive reimbursement for early adopters who upgraded with little or no funding. Email the county to ask.
Does the grant cover the whole cost?
Rarely. Brevard's average upgrade cost was about $21,700 across 27 contractors in the county's own figures, and most parcels get less than the $20,000 maximum. Plan to finance the rest; see septic financing.
Sources
The laws, agency documents and reports this page relies on. Rules and grant amounts change; confirm with your county before you sign anything.
- Save Our Indian River Lagoon: septic system upgrades (archived March 5, 2026), Brevard County
- Save Our Indian River Lagoon: homeowner grants (archived November 17, 2025), Brevard County
- Sewer Connection Assistance Program, Indian River County
- Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants, USDA Rural Development
- Section 163.08, Florida Statutes (PACE qualifying improvements), Florida Legislature
- 2026 amendments and referenda, Brevard County Supervisor of Elections
- Indian River Lagoon water quality improvement grant programs, State of Florida
- DEP announces Septic Upgrade Incentive Program, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- To cut pollution, Brevard offers more money for septic upgrades, WUSF / Central Florida Public Media
Related
Brevard County septic grant and sewer connection grant
Brevard's Save Our Indian River Lagoon pays $6,000 to $20,000 to upgrade a septic system and up to $24,000 to connect to sewer. Who qualifies and how to apply.
How to apply for a septic grant, step by step
How to apply for a septic upgrade or sewer connection grant near the Indian River Lagoon: the steps in order, a documents checklist, and mistakes that lose a grant.
Septic financing and septic loans
How to pay for an ENR septic upgrade or sewer hookup over time near the Indian River Lagoon: utility plans, PACE, credit unions and the traps to avoid.