Water Desalination Grant Program Continuous Application Process – CAP5
Can you apply?
This grant is for water desalination projects that serve California's potable municipal water supply. Eligible applicants include local water agencies, water districts, and regional water authorities with projects to desalinate naturally-occurring brackish or saline water. Projects must demonstrate feasibility, completed CEQA documentation, and readiness for implementation within 6 months of award. The program prioritizes increased water supply reliability, improved desalination technology, environmental protection, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
This grant is for water desalination projects that serve California's potable municipal water supply. Eligible applicants include local water agencies, water districts, and regional water authorities with projects to desalinate naturally-occurring brackish or saline water. Projects must demonstrate feasibility, completed CEQA documentation, and readiness for implementation within 6 months of award. The program prioritizes increased water supply reliability, improved desalination technology, environmental protection, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Program description
Eligible Projects will be awarded grants to desalinate naturally-occurring brackish (>1,000 mg/L TDS) or saline water to directly support local or regional potable municipal water resources and directly or indirectly provide water supply benefits to the State. A total of $6,000,000 of Proposition 1 funds are available. In addition to other benefits, proposed projects will be evaluated on the following: • Increased potable water supply to increase public health and the quality of municipal water supply systems (CWC §79767(c)) • Increased water supply reliability (CWC §79767(a)) • Improved water desalination technology, process efficiencies, and methodologies (CWC §79767(e) & §12947(c)) • Advanced methods that minimize adverse impacts to the environment associated with desalination processes and new water supplies which decrease reliance on diversions from the Delta or instream flows (CWC §79767(b) & §12946) • Contribute to decreasing environmental impacts caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which includes energy efficiencies (i.e., water-energy nexus) (CWC §79767(b) & §12946). Projects must have a completed feasibility study showing evaluated alternatives, appropriate CEQA documentation to support the project, and be ready to be implemented within 6 months of project award.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Details
This grant is for water desalination projects that serve California's potable municipal water supply. Eligible applicants include local water agencies, water districts, and regional water authorities with projects to desalinate naturally-occurring brackish or saline water. Projects must demonstrate feasibility, completed CEQA documentation, and readiness for implementation within 6 months of award. The program prioritizes increased water supply reliability, improved desalination technology, environmental protection, and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Program contact
- 📧 sean.sou@water.ca.gov
- 📞 1-916-902-7722
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 4 | 3 | 75% |
Source: California Grants Portal
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