R21AS00428: WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects (R26AS00079). Status: Closes August 26, 2027 (292 days left). It is in our archive of Bureau of Reclamation notices from 2021.
Bureau of Reclamation offered grants of up to $20.0 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make $12.0 million in total. Applications closed on April 23, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed March 24, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$20.0 million
- Total funding$12.0 million
- Cost sharingRequired
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement, Grant
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| R22AS00117 | January 14, 2022 | Closed March 15, 2022 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | March 24, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | April 23, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | July 30, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Applicants eligible to receive an award under this NOFO include sponsors of seawater and brackish water desalination projects located in the Western United State of United States Territiories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902 that have submitted a Feasibility Study to Reclamation for review by the date this NOFO is posted Eligibility does not entitle an applicant to any future Federal funding or create a new project authorization.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past WaterSMART Water Recycling awards averaged $10.5 million; this notice allows up to $20.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (90% over five years) went to state and local governments.
- The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.
What the grant funds
The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN), Public Law (P.L.) 114-322, was enacted in December of 2016 to address water resources infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 4009(a) of Subtitle J of WIIN includes amendments to the Water Desalination Act of 1996 that authorize Reclamation to provide funding for construction of desalination projects. Desalination is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Desalination projects develop and supplement municipal and irrigation water supplies through the treatment of ocean or brackish water, thereby providing a local supply, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply portfolio.. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water and increase water management flexibility, making our water supply more reliable. Desalination projects are an important part of the Department’s WaterSMART Program. For further information on the WaterSMART Program, see www.usbr.gov/watersmart. The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite sponsors of ocean and brackish water desalination projects (Projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those Projects. Please see the related documents tab of the grants.gov page for this opportunity for the full Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement for additional information
Who has won WaterSMART Water Recycling grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, WaterSMART Water Recycling (15.504) awarded $942 million across 90 grant awards, an average of $10.5 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California | California | 2 | $130 million |
| City of San Buenaventura | California | 2 | $106 million |
| Water Replenishment District of Southern California | California | 3 | $47.9 million |
| City of Oceanside | California | 3 | $31.2 million |
| Eastern Municipal Water District | California | 1 | $30.0 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, R26AS00079, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is R21AS00428 still open?
No. It closed on April 23, 2021. A newer notice is open: R26AS00079, closes August 26, 2027 (292 days left).
Who can apply for WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act?
Bureau of Reclamation accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act?
Closed April 23, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $20.0 million each. About $12.0 million in total.
Who has won WaterSMART Water Recycling grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of San Buenaventura, Water Replenishment District of Southern California. The program made 90 awards worth $942 million in that time.
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