Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants

Jurisdiction:
Federal
Incentive Type:Grant Program
Industries:
Health And Safety, Technology, Infrastructure
Eligible Sector:
Public
Category:
Financial Incentive
Time Period:
FY 2015
Governing Body:U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
What’s it worth?:Up to $500,000

The Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants provides funding to ensure safe, reliable drinking water for households and businesses in eligible communities. Eligible participants include State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Tribes in eligible areas including rural areas, tribal lands, and colonias i with median household income less than the state’s. Grants from this program may be used to fund qualifying emergency events:

  • Drought
  • Flood
  • Earthquake
  • Tornados
  • Hurricanes
  • Disease outbreak
  • Chemical spills, leaks, or seepage
  • Other disasters

Funds are available for water transmission lines repair up to $150,000 and new water source construction of up to $500,000. There are no matching requirements for this program but they are encouraged.

Eligible areas are rural areas with a household median income of $62,883 or less and towns with 10,000 people or less. Eligible participants may apply through the local RD office at any time with forms accessible online.  Applicants must be able to demonstrate a decline in water quality within two years of the date of the application.

The USDA highly recommends speaking with one of their specialist before attempting to fill out and submitting the application to ensure it is completed correctly. Applicants are required to:

  • Submit Form SF424 for Construction Projects
  • State intergovernmental review
  • Supporting documentation

– Preliminary engineering report
– Population
– Median household income
– Nature of the emergency causing the problem
– Water quality decline evidence

The local RD office should be contacted with any questions.