Department of the Interior Grant: WaterSMART Title XVI Funding for Water Reclamation and Reuse

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse program (Title XVI) is an important part of WaterSMART. For purposes of the Title XVI program, a water reuse project is a project that reclaims and reuses municipal, industrial, domestic, or agricultural wastewater and naturally impaired groundwater and/or surface waters. Reclaimed water can be used for a variety of purposes, such as environmental restoration, fish and wildlife, groundwater recharge, municipal, domestic, industrial, agricultural, power generation, or recreation. Water reuse is an essential tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States.

Title XVI projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse, thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply. Title XVI projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water while promoting water and energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

Under Title XVI of P.L. 102-575, Reclamation works to identify and investigate opportunities to reclaim and reuse wastewaters and naturally impaired ground and surface water in the 17 Western States and Hawaii. Title XVI also provides authority for Reclamation to provide up to the lesser of 25 percent of, or the Federal appropriations ceiling (typically $20 million) for the cost of planning, design, and construction of specific water recycling projects. The objective of this FOA is to invite sponsors of Congressionally authorized Title XVI projects to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those authorized projects.