The Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Water Quality Improvement Fund to provide financial assistance for septic system repairs or replacement to low- to moderate-income homeowners.

Beth Johnson, finance director for MPPDC, said Friday that funds are available for up to a 75 percent match of the cost of septic repairs. The maximum grant amount to any homeowner is $15,000, she said.

On the low end, grants to repair a septic tank might run in the $2,500 range, she said.

In some cases, the homeowner might receive a grant, but the award amount won’t cover the entire cost of the project. MPPDC helps arrange loans to cover the difference through the Middle Peninsula Septic Repair Revolving Loan Program, she said.

This is the first time in several years that a state septic tank grant is available here, Johnson said. In recent years, MPPDC has only been able to assist with 5-10 year loa...