WaterSMART: Advanced Water Treatment Pilot and Demonstration Project Grants

Click on the “Full Announcement” button near the top of this Synopsis page to access the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) document. The objective of this FOA is to invite States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on pilot and demonstration projects that accelerate the adoption and use of Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) technologies to increase water supply. Projects funded under this FOA will encourage pilot and demonstration projects that address the technical, economic, and environmental viability of treating and using brackish groundwater, seawater, impaired waters, or otherwise creating new water supplies within a specific locale. The adoption and use of AWT is a crucial element of any plan to address Western water issues. With leveraged water sustainability grants, an important step will be taken towards increasing water supply in the West. Specific objectives include: (1) Water Supply: Increasing the usable water supply in the U.S. through the treatment of impaired waters. (2) Environment: Understanding the environmental impacts of AWT and developing approaches to minimize these impacts relative to other water supply alternatives. This may include issues such as: concentrate management in coastal and inland settings; toxicity due to concentrate disposal; renewable; seawater intakes and outfall; fate and health impacts of AWT related contaminants; brackish groundwater development; and responses to climate change. (3) Economics: Reducing the financial costs of AWT and water purification technologies so that they are attractive options relative to other alternatives in locations where traditional sources of water are inadequate. This may include actions such as: concentrate management; use of waste heat; determining the impact of energy pricing; integrating renewable energy; and reducing primary energy usage. (4) Technology: Creating new and innovative technologies and improving the reliability of existing processes. (5) Efficiency: Developing methods to make AWT more energy efficient. (6) Health: Developing methods to ensure AWT technologies have acceptable impacts on human health. (7) Multiuse: Expanding the use of AWT processes for multiple uses such as municipal water, wastewater reuse, industrial, and agricultural uses. (8) Technology Transfer: Ensuring full transfer of knowledge to encourage the widespread use of technology. Applicants must provide a cost share of 50% or more of the total project cost.