NATIONAL PRIORITIES: WATER INNOVATION, SCIENCE, ENGAGEMENT TO ADVANCE WATER REUSE

Background
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking applications proposing to accelerate water innovation, information availability, and engagement to advance clean and safe water reuse goals, promote better understanding of the Nation’s water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure, and enhance the availability and efficient use of water resources through water reuse.

Grant Details
Safe and reliable water supplies are critical for our Nation’s public health, ecosystems, and economy. This National Priorities research RFA will solicit innovative research to further the acceptance and practice of water reuse in the United States. Technology innovation and health-based risk assessment for water reuse applications are important to provide solutions that will advance the Nation’s clean and safe water goals.

Research is needed to inform future fit-for-purpose treatment specifications, which describe the level of treatment needed to protect public and environmental health and other needed end points for specific use applications of reclaimed water. Source waters for potential reuse can contain a variety of chemical and microbial contaminants, which without treatment can result in adverse human, animal, and/or environmental health outcomes.

The research areas covered by this solicitation include Science, Technology Development, and Validation for Water Reuse Applications as well as Social science, Information, Engagement, and Organizational barriers to Water Reuse.

Eligibility Requirements
Public and private nonprofit institutions and public and private universities and colleges located in the United States and its territories or possessions are eligible. Foreign entities, States, the District of Columbia, State and local government departments, territories, possessions, and Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments of the U.S., are not eligible to apply under this Request for Applications (RFA). Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.

Period of Performance
The period of performance is up to 4 years.

Grant Value
Anticipated funding amount is approximately $6,492,000 total in federal funds for all awards. Potential Federal Funding per Award: Up to a total of $3,246,000 in federal funds with a maximum duration of 4 years. Each applicant must contribute a minimum 25% non-federal cost share/match of the federal funds awarded.