The Bureau of Reclamation has released two funding opportunities under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Desalination Construction Projects and Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects.
Image: Bureau of Reclamation makes $32m in funding opportunities for desalination projects. Photo: Courtesy of Bureau of Reclamation.
Applications for both of the funding opportunities are due by June 28, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. MDT.
“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.
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 those projects. The recipient must provide at least 75% of the total project costs. Eligible applicants include states, departments of a state, subdivisions of a state, or a public agency organized pursuant to state law. To be eligible, sponsors must have completed a feasibility study and submitted it to Reclamation for review. Approximately two to six awards are expected to be made with up to $12 million available. This funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F008.
Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects under WIIN is 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 those 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. The recipient must provide at least 75% of the total project cost. Approximately four to eight awards are expected to be made with up to $20 million available. This funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F018.
The funding for these projects supports President Trump’s memorandum on promoting the reliable supply and delivery of water in the West. Specifically, these projects are investments in technology that enables broader scale use of recycled water.
The funding is part of WaterSMART. WaterSMART is a Department of the Interior initiative that uses the best available science to improve water conservation and help water resource managers identify strategies to narrow the gap between supply and demand.
Source: Company Press Release.