WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The Bureau of Reclamation is offering the WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects grant to support planning, design, and/or construction of desalination facilities. The program is intended to help eligible public entities develop new sources of local water supply by desalinating seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater. Applicants must be located in one of the specified western states and are expected to provide cost sharing or matching funds. The solicitation has an estimated total program funding of $120 million, anticipates about 10 awards, and is accepting applications in two submission periods with a first due date of August 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. MDT and a final due date of August 26, 2027, at 4:00 p.m. MDT; questions may be directed to bor-sha-fafoa@usbr.gov.
Eligible Applicants
Applicants eligible to receive funding under this NOFO include States, departments of a State, subdivisions of a State, or public agencies organized pursuant to a State law, such as: States, Tribes, municipalities, irrigation districts, and water districts, or wastewater districtsAll applicants must be located in one of the following States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Ineligible Applicants - Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:Federal Governmental entitiesForeign entitiesIndividualsInstitutes of higher education