Cyanotoxin Monitoring Equipment and Training Grants

The Cyanotoxin Monitoring Equipment and Training Grants, offered by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, support public water systems in monitoring cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in surface water sources. Since 2017, these grants have funded essential equipment like fluorometers and microscope cameras, and assist in developing Quality Assurance Project Plans. Eligible applicants include municipalities, non-profit organizations, and various associations. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, ensuring continuous support for water quality initiatives.

Since 2017, NHDES has made grants available to public water systems that utilize surface water sources to assist in the development of programs to monitor their source and finished water for indicators of cyanobacteria blooms and cyanotoxins. Applicants funded through this program have utilized grant funds for equipment purchases, including handheld fluorometers to monitor for cyanobacterial pigments, microscope cameras for cell enumeration and imaging, and equipment to facilitate the collection of surface water samples.
Projects that involve the collection, analysis or manipulation of environmental (e.g., water quality) data will require a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). Grant funds may be used to develop a new QAPP and/or a Site Specific Project Plan (SSPP), the latter being required when there are deviations from an approved QAPP. If the equipment and/or activities are currently addressed within the existing US EPA Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative (CMC) QAPP , applicants may be able to cite that document rather than developing their own. Past applicants have used grant funds for the reimbursement of expenses associated with the development of a SSPP.
Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Eligibility

New Hampshire public water systems that utilize a surface water sourceMunicipalitieslake, pond, or watershed associationsNon-profit organizations