USDA provides funding for water supply improvement projects

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated 26 grants worth $13.4m to improve water supply in communities across the country.

As part of the sustainable projects, 17 grants will be used for integrated research, education and extension work to improve the quality of the nation’s surface and groundwater resources in agricultural, rural and urbanising watersheds.

The other nine research grants will address critical water resource issues, including drought preparations and water reuse in agriculture.

The first category of 17 grants, totalling $9m, are funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through the National Integrated Water Quality programme, which aims to solve water resource problems by advancing scientific knowledge about water quality.

The second category of nine grants, totalling $4.4m, are funded by NIFA through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Agricultural Water Sciences foundational programme, which supports research projects and programmes that address critical water resource issues in agricultural, rural and urban ecosystems.

Agriculture deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan said: "These research projects will help farmers, ranchers and community leaders enhance local economies and environments in agricultural and rural communities.

"At the same time, drought preparedness and the consideration of novel sources of water will help cities, communities and rural areas across the nation and around the globe adapt to the effects of changing climate on water quality and quantity; and better understand water’s role in agro-ecosystems."