WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act | BOR DO 18 F012

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR DO 18 F012

The WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BOR DO 18 F012) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. Its core purpose is to provide cost-shared federal funding to sponsors of ocean and brackish water desalination projects that are ready to move forward with planning, design, and/or construction. In practical terms, the program is aimed at helping communities in eligible regions develop new or expanded drinking water supplies by turning seawater or naturally salty inland sources (including brackish groundwater) into usable water, while requiring recipients to bring non-federal matching funds to the table.

Projects considered eligible under this announcement include the planning, design, and construction of facilities that desalinate ocean water or brackish water. The emphasis is not just on early-stage ideas; it is structured around projects that can demonstrate real technical and financial readiness. A key gatekeeping requirement is the feasibility study: to qualify, a project must have a completed feasibility study that has already been reviewed by Reclamation and found to meet the requirements in Reclamation Directives and Standards WTR 11-01 (the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program Feasibility Study Review Process). If a project does not already have a feasibility study that Reclamation has accepted as meeting WTR 11-01, the applicant must submit the feasibility study for Reclamation review by the application deadline (July 27, 2018), and the project must be far enough along that Reclamation can reasonably complete its determination that the study meets WTR 11-01 by August 31, 2018. Another procedural detail tied to eligibility is congressional notification: the findings from Reclamation’s feasibility review must be transmitted to Congress before or at the same time the project is selected for funding, which reinforces that Reclamation is expected to fund projects with documented feasibility and oversight-ready documentation.

Geography also matters. To be eligible, the project must be located in the Western United States or in U.S. Territories as identified under the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended. This ties the program to Reclamation’s traditional service area and mission footprint, effectively limiting awards to the western states and qualifying territories rather than nationwide eligibility.

The opportunity also requires alignment with state-level water planning or formal state support. Specifically, the desalination project must be included in a state-approved plan, and that plan must be submitted with the proposal before the application deadline. If the project is not included in a state-approved plan, there is an alternative pathway: federal participation must have been requested by the Governor of the state where the project is located. In either case, the applicant must provide documentation with the application that is sufficient for Reclamation to verify that the state-plan requirement is met or that the governor has requested federal participation. This requirement is meant to ensure the project is consistent with broader state water supply strategies and has visible state-level backing, not just local interest.

From a funding perspective, this FOA anticipated making about four awards, with an award ceiling listed at $18,000,000. The catalog listing is CFDA 15.504, and the activity category is Natural Resources. While the eligibility field is labeled broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," the central audience is clearly project sponsors capable of meeting the feasibility, location, and state-endorsement requirements, and capable of providing the required non-federal cost share.

Timing details in the notice show it was created May 30, 2018, with an original closing date of July 27, 2018. Taken together, the structure of the program points to a competitive, readiness-focused funding round designed to accelerate desalination projects that are sufficiently developed to document feasibility under Reclamation standards, fit within Reclamation’s western service area, and have clear state planning alignment or gubernatorial support.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WaterSMART: Desalination Construction Projects Under the WIIN Act" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.504.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 30, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 27, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $18,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BOR DO 18 F012

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