WaterSMART: Title XVI WIIN Act Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects

The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. A NOFO for congressionally authorized Title XVI projects is being released separately. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water. Through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program (Title XVI), authorized by Public Law (P.L.) 102-575 in 1992, Reclamation provides financial and technical assistance to local water agencies for the planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects. Water recycling is a tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse—thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water which increases water management flexibility and makes our water supply more reliable. Title XVI water projects are an important part of the WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/. Eligible Projects Planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse facilities that are eligible for funding under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act, P.L. 114-322. In order to be eligible for funding, the Project must have a completed Feasibility Study that has been reviewed by Reclamation and found to meet all of the requirements of Reclamation Manual Release WTR 11-01 by the date that this NOFO is posted. If a feasibility study has been reviewed by Reclamation and found to meet the requirements of WTR 11-01, but the review findings have not yet been transmitted to Congress, Reclamation will transmit those findings to Congress either before project selections are made or concurrently with project selections. Eligibility does not entitle a project to any future Federal funding or create a new project authorization. All applicants should reivew the Full Notice of Funding Opportunity Document attached under the Related Documents tab above this statement.  The Document provides full guidance and additional information on the application development process.