WaterSMART

Water Recycling and Desalination

Water recycling and desalination are essential tools for stretching limited water supplies in the Western United States. Reclamation provides cost-shared funding on a competitive basis for planning, design, and construction of water recycling and desalination projects. Funding is made available for projects through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program, the Desalination Construction Program, and the Large-Scale Water Recycling Program

Documents

• Water Recycling and Desalination Fact Sheet

Contacts

Contact Information: For more information regarding Title XVI, please contact Maribeth Menendez, at 303-445-2094 or mmenendez@usbr.gov.

For more information regarding Large-Scale Water Recycling, please contact Amanda Erath, at 720-948-7108 or aerath@usbr.gov.

• Interior Region 5: Missouri Basin & Interior Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf - Luis Cruzado, 512-899-4170 or lcruzado@usbr.gov
• Interior Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin - Jessica Kahler, 801-524-3864 or jkahler@usbr.gov
• Interior Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin - Alex Soubannarath, (951) 695-5310, vsoubannarath@usbr.gov
• Interior Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest - Cavan Gerrish, (208) 378-5347 or cgerrish@usbr.gov
• Interior Region 10: California-Great Basin - Mike Dietl, (916) 397-4483 or mdietl@usbr.gov

You may complete this form to receive WaterSMART program notification from the Bureau of Reclamation.

Announcements

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• Biden-Harris Administration Announces $125 Million Investment for Large-Scale Water Recycling Projects

  The Department of the Interior today announced a $125 million investment for five projects in California and Utah that will help create new sources of water and improve drought resiliency. Read More →

  Project Descriptions

• President’s Investing in America Agenda Delivers More Than $142 Million to Bolster Resilience to Drought and Boost Water Supplies

  Acting Deputy Secretary of the Interior Laura Daniel-Davis today announced a $142 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance drought resilience and boost water supplies across the country, as part of the Investing in America agenda. The selected projects are expected to provide about 40,000 acre-feet of annual recycled water, enough to support more than 160,000 people a year. Read More →

  Project Descriptions

• Biden-Harris Administration Delivers $179 Million from Investing in America Agenda for Innovative Water Reuse and Drought Resilience Projects

  The Department of the Interior today announced a $179 million investment through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for innovative water reuse projects that strengthen drought resilience across the West, increasing water security and resilience across western communities. Today’s funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support four projects in California and Utah to help communities create new sources of water to support water reliability. Read More →

  Project Descriptions

• Webinar for WaterSMART Water Recycling and Desalination Construction Funding Opportunities

  On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program hosted a webinar to discuss the multiple water recycling and desalination construction funding opportunities currently open on grants.gov. The webinar included information regarding eligibility, program requirements, and the selection process for the following funding opportunities: 1) Title XVI Congressionally Authorized Projects; 2) Title XVI WIIN Act Projects; 3) Desalination Construction Projects; and 4) Large-Scale Water Recycling Projects.

  Click here to watch a recording of the live event.

  Download Slideshow

• Biden-Harris Administration Makes $328 Million Available for Drought and Climate Resiliency Projects as Part of President’s Investing in America Agenda

  The Department of the Interior today announced up to $328 million in funding opportunities available through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, to help communities address impacts of climate change through water recycling, water storage and desalination projects. The funds come primarily from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s WaterSMART and Small Storage programs, as well as through annual appropriations, and the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act.Read More →

• Reclamation invests $28.97 million to assist with planning and feasibility study development for 31 water recycling and desalination projects

  The Bureau of Reclamation announced the selection of 31 planning projects to receive $28.97 million in appropriated funding to support potential new water reuse and desalination projects to help create new sources of water supply less vulnerable to drought and climate change. The recipients will use the funding to prepare feasibility studies and undertake other planning efforts like preliminary project design and environmental compliance activities. Read More →

  Selected Projects