WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act

Stage 1: Planning 
Stage 2: Design 
Stage 3: Construction 

Projects for the planning, design, and construction of facilities to desalinate seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater are eligible. To be eligible for funding, Projects must meet the following requirements: 

• The Project must be constructed, operated, and maintained by an eligible applicant; or must be sponsored by an eligible applicant. To sponsor a Project, the eligible applicant must contribute funding for a substantial portion of the capital construction costs of the Project. 
  
• The Project must have a completed feasibility study submitted to Reclamation for review by August 30, 2024, and the completed feasibility studies must be found by Reclamation to meet all of the requirements of WTR 11-01 by November 29, 2024 (dates listed for submittal Period 2). 
  
• Must be 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, Wyoming.
• The Project must be included in a state-approved plan. The plan and documentation of state approval must be included with the proposal or submitted to Reclamation prior to the application deadline. In the alternative, if the Project is not included in a state-approved plan, Federal participation in the Project must have been requested by the Governor of the state in which the eligible desalination project is located. 

• Sponsors of seawater or brackish surface water or groundwater desalination projects include state or local sponsors, which may include but are not limited to: 
  
  • States, Indian Tribes, Municipalities, Irrigation Districts, Water Districts, Wastewater Districts; and  
    
  • Any State, Regional, or  
    
  • Other organizations with water or power delivery authority. 
    
• *Multiple applications for funding may be submitted for consideration under this funding opportunity, provided that the project scopes are not duplicative.

• The costs for preparing and submitting an application or feasibility studies are not eligible project costs. 
  
• Proposals submitted may only include costs incurred after the date of Reclamation’s feasibility determination, and within three (3) years from the application deadline for each submittal period. 
  
• To the extent possible, environmental compliance will be completed before a financial assistance agreement is signed by the parties. However, in most cases, the award can be completed with the release of funds contingent on completion of environmental compliance and receipt of a written Notice to Proceed from the Reclamation Grants Officer. 
  
• Evaluation Criteria includes the extent to which the project demonstrates support for the Presidential Administration’s priorities of Climate Change, serving Disadvantaged or Underserved Communities, and Tribal Benefits. 
  
• Project awards will be made through grants or cooperative agreements as applicable. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the recipient should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project. 
  
• All applicants and projects must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act (CWA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Davis-Bacon Act and Build America Buy America Act (when necessary recipients may apply for, and DOI may grant, a waiver for the Build America Buy America Act, subject to review by the Made in America Office). 

Eligible applicants are invited to request funding for planning, design, and/or construction of projects. 
Estimated Number of Award Agreements: Up to a total of 10 awards for both application periods, depending on the amount requested by each applicant and the amount of Federal funding made available. 
Anticipated Award Dates:

• Final Application Submittal Period Closes: September 30, 2024  
  
• Anticipated notification of successful/unsuccessful applicants: April 2025  
  
• Anticipated Award Date: September 2025 
  
• Anticipated Project Completion Date: November 2027 

Title: Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact - USBR 
Name: Chandrika Nasstrom – cnasstrom@usbr.gov 
Title: Reclamation Program Coordinator Contact - USBR 
Name: Maribeth Menendez – mmenendez@usbr.gov; and (303) 445-2094 
*Please include the NOFO number R23AS00465 in the subject*