US’ Bureau of Reclamation issues two new WaterSMART grants for small water efficiency projects

The Bureau of Reclamation of the US has unveiled two new WaterSMART grants opportunities, which comprise of funding for water and energy efficiency and the new small-scale water efficiency projects funding opportunity.

The two new grants are expected to help the west side of the country to cope up with the current water supply issue amidst the beginning of the draught season.

As part of the new small-scale water efficiency projects funding opportunity, projects, which were already selected under previous planning efforts, will receive up to $75,000 in federal funding.

The selected projects include installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system; lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, small rebate programmes that result in reduced residential water use, or other similar projects.

A streamlined selection and review process has also been created to reflect the small-scale nature of these projects.

Proposals under this category will be accepted, evaluated and selected on a rolling basis with the final application submission deadline on 27 April next year.

Grants, under WaterSMART’s water and energy efficiency grants funding opportunity, support larger scale projects that result in quantifiable and sustained water savings.

The opportunity includes two funding groups and applications could be submitted for either of the opportunities, with proposals required to be submitted by 18 January next year.

Up to $300,000 funding will be available for smaller projects that may take up to two years to complete.

Under the second funding group of the grant, up to $1,000,000 will be provided for larger, phased projects that will require up to three years to complete.

Reclamation said that no more than $500,000 federal grants will be provided within a given year to complete each phase.

Projects under the water and energy efficiency category include canal lining and piping, more comprehensive installation of irrigation flow measurement or canal automation improvements; installation of water meters and other similar projects.