Feb 15, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Western Water Agencies Team up with Federal Government to Offer Grants for Water-Saving Technologies

The next generation of water-saving devices and technologies will get a boost from some of the Southwest’s largest water agencies and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation under the latest round of a competitive grant program.

The Innovative Conservation Program provides direct grant funding for studies of new conservation and water efficiency technologies through a partnership among the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Reclamation, Western Resource Advocates, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Central Arizona Project and Southern California Gas Company. The goal is to help permanently reduce the region’s water use by evaluating the water savings potential and reliability of new technologies.

The grant application period closes March 22. A total of $550,000 will be competitively awarded to proposals seeking up to $50,000. An informational webinar will be hosted Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. Registration information and additional details, including proposal submission instructions, are available at http://mwdh2o.com/ICP.

Since ICP launched in 2001, the program has awarded 67 grants totaling $2.4 million during six two-year funding cycles. The program has funded research into technologies that cut the water needs of grass, irrigation systems for vineyards and other crops, recycled water systems for particular water-intensive machines, a device the uses minimal water to clean patios and large surface areas, and a myriad of other technologies developed by entrepreneurs, research institutes, equipment manufacturers and public agencies.