Water Reuse Infrastructure Funding Programs
Listed is a streamlined resource of federal funding opportunities that support resiliency projects in the water management space, including water reuse projects. This list was compiled as part of the National Water Reuse Action Plan (Action 6.1). Please email waterreuse@epa.gov if you have an update to this page or know of additional funding sources.
Funding sources by agency:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
Watch a webinar on federal funding programs available for water reuse
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Description: The EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program is a federal-state partnership that provides a permanent source of low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects. These projects include municipal wastewater treatment and collection, nonpoint source pollution controls, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, green infrastructure, water efficiency, water reuse, and estuary management.
- Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Report: Integrating Water Reuse into the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Report: Financial Support for Water Reuse from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Fact Sheet: Funding Drought Resiliency Projects with the CWSRF (includes water reuse)
- Case Studies: Water Reuse is a Project Category on CWSRF page of Case Studies
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Description: The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program is a federal-state partnership to help ensure safe drinking water. Created by the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) the program provides financial support to water systems and to state safe water programs. Water reuse projects are eligible for funding if they replace an existing potable source with a non-potable source or mitigates the need for additional potable supply.
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
- Fact Sheet: Addressing Water Reuse with the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program
Description: Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program accelerates investment in our nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects. WIFIA is primarily designed for large-scale projects and has funded several large water reuse projects.
- Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program
- Fact Sheet: Supporting Regional Partnerships with WIFIA Funding
Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants Program
Description: The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants Program provides grant funding for critical stormwater infrastructure projects in communities including combined sewer overflows (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). Stormwater capture and use projects are eligible for this program. Grants are awarded to states, which then provide sub-awards to eligible entities for projects.
Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Program
Description: The Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program (CWISA) provides funding to Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages for wastewater infrastructure. The CWISA program is administered in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS). Water reuse is among several types of projects eligible for funding.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
Description: This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.
Water & Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees
Description: This program helps private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems for households and businesses in rural areas.
Water & Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants
Description: This program assists low-income communities with initial planning and development of applications for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Water and Waste Disposal direct loan/grant and loan guarantee programs.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI)
Description: NAWI is a $185 million effort that focuses on research and development of energy-efficient and cost-competitive treatment technologies for non-traditional water sources, with a particular focus on industrial and premise-scale water reuse.
U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Community Development Block Grant
Description: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds may be utilized to address a wide variety of community needs, including construction or renovation of various infrastructure projects such as water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities, streets, and flood control projects. The funds must be used for activities that either benefit low- and moderate-income persons or address community development needs that have a particular urgency.
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
Title XVI - Water Reclamation and Reuse
Description: Title XVI of P.L. 102-575, as amended (Title XVI), provides authority for Reclamation’s water recycling and reuse program, titled “Title XVI.” Through the Title XVI program, Reclamation identifies and investigates opportunities to reclaim and reuse wastewaters and impaired ground and surface water in the 17 Western States and Hawaii. Title XVI includes funding for the planning, design, and construction of water recycling and reuse projects in partnership with local government entities.
Desalination and Water Purification Research Program
Description: The Desalination and Water Purification Research (DWPR) Program is authorized under the Water Desalination Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-298), amended in 2016 by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. The program provides financial assistance for research and development projects in desalination and water treatment that lead to improved technologies for converting unusable water sources into useable supplies. Water sources include, but are not limited to, sea water, brackish groundwater, municipal wastewater and produced waters from oil and gas activities.
WaterSMART Drought Response Program
Description: Reclamation’s drought program assists stakeholders in building resilience to drought in advance of a crisis. Through the Drought Response Program, Reclamation partners with states, Tribes and local governments to develop drought contingency plans and implement actions that build long-term drought resilience drought. These actions may include system modifications or improvements, development of alternative water supplies and other projects designed to mitigate the impacts of future droughts. Water desalination, reuse and treatment projects with a total estimated project cost of less than $20 million are eligible for funding. Reclamation allocates program funding annually through competitive funding opportunities. Typically, a 50 percent non-federal cost share is required, although some exceptions may apply depending on the project type.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs
Description: Hazard mitigation is any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. Mitigation planning breaks the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation includes long-term solutions that reduce the impact of disasters in the future. Grant programs that are relevant to water reuse and stormwater capture and use include:
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
Assists in implementing long-term hazard mitigation planning and projects following a Presidential major disaster declaration.
Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC)
Support for states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.