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Two funding opportunities have been released by the Bureau of Reclamation, one for Desalination Construction Projects and the other for water reclamation and reuse projects. In total, $32 million is available; $12 million is available under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act for the Desalination Construction Projects and $20 million in Title XVI in funding will be used for the Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects.
The funding of these two opportunities are part of WaterSMART, the Department of the Interior initiative that looks to use the best available science to improve water conservation and help water resource managers identify strategies to narrow the gap between supply and demand. The funding for these projects also supports President Trump’s memorandum on promoting the reliable supply and delivery of water in the West. These types of projects are specific investments in technology that enables broader scale use of recycled water.
Eligible applicants for the WIIN Desalination Construction Projects include states, departments of a state, subdivisions of a state, or a public agency organized pursuant to state law. Additionally, eligible sponsors must have completed a feasibility study and submitted it to Reclamation for review. The Desalination Construction Projects funding opportunity is for sponsors of ocean and brackish water desalination projects to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of their projects. The recipient must provide at least 75 percent of the total project costs. Approximately two to six awards are expected to be included in the “up to $12 million” funding that is available.
The Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects under WIIN are for sponsors of projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of reclamation and reuse projects. To be eligible, sponsors must have completed a Title XVI Feasibility Study that Reclamation has reviewed and found to meet all of the requirements of Reclamation Manual Release WTR 11-01. As with the desalination project sponsors, the recipients of the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects must provide at least 75% of the total project cost. Approximately four to eight awards are expected to share in the “up to” $20 million available.
“These types of projects provide flexibility for communities to stretch the limited water supplies in the western United States by developing and supplementing municipal and irrigation water supplies,” Program Coordinator Amanda Erath said.
More information on both of these funding opportunities can be found online at www.grants.gov. To learn more about the Desalination Construction Projects funding opportunity, search for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F008. To learn more about the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects, search for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F018.
Applications for both of the funding opportunities are due by June 28, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. MDT. Applications must be received by this time and date in order to be considered for funding.
