Source Water Protection Assistance Program (SWPAP) Grant

Source Water Protection Assistance Program (SWPAP) Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
Amount: Up to US $60,000
Last Updated: January 19, 2026

Summary

The Source Water Protection Assistance Program (SWPAP) aims to enhance public health by safeguarding drinking water supplies. It emphasizes the importance of protecting existing water sources over costly treatment solutions. Eligible applicants include public water systems and nonprofit organizations, while projects must focus on effective source water protection measures. The program encourages collaboration among various stakeholders to prevent contamination and improve water quality. Funding is available for projects that meet specific criteria, including timely completion and demonstrable impact.

Overview

Background Source water protection is a common sense approach to guarding public health by protecting drinking water supplies. Ensuring safe and adequate drinking water supplies requires maintaining the quality and availability of present and future water supply sources. In the long run it is less expensive and more protective of public health to prevent contamination than to treat water to meet health standards. Similarly, it is less expensive to protect and maintain existing sources than it is to develop new ones. New contaminants of concern continue to emerge, potentially requiring more costly treatment of source waters if they have not been adequately protected. Effective protection relies on the combined efforts of the federal and state agencies, water suppliers, municipalities, businesses, institutions and communities whose activities have the potential to affect the source. Source Water Protection Elements Proposed projects should be developed from one or more of the following Source Water Protection Elements: Planning: Applications for proposed projects should explain and demonstrate how the project will support source water protection measures.Assessment and Delineation: Source Water Protection Areas (SWPA) for groundwater and surface water sources have been delineated and are available through the Kentucky Geoportal and are a part of Kentucky's Watershed Viewer. Proposed projects can develop or update SWPA delineations and establish monitoring.Contaminant Source Inventory: Proposed projects may develop or update contaminant source inventories and susceptibility analyses. Projects may involve evaluating existing and potential threats to water quality. This may include identifying or prioritizing potential threats based upon new or more detailed information and susceptibility analyses.Management Strategies: Proposed projects may implement management strategies identified in existing Source Water Protection plans or areas. Proposed security projects must protect the source water directly.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicant EligibilityPublic Water SystemsMunicipal EntitiesUnits and subunits of local governmentsSpecial Districts (including water districts or conservation districts)AssociationsNonprofits under 26 U.S.C. sec.501 (c)(3)Educational InstitutionsProject EligibilityEligible projects must contribute to improved protection of one or more public drinking water supply sources. Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to the following:Implementation of source water protection measuresDevelopment of source water or wellhead protection plansDrinking water source research or monitoringPublic Education and Outreach (brochures, workshops, and media campaigns)Acquiring land and conservation easements (at or below fair market value) necessary for protecting drinking water sourcesDevelopment of local source water protection ordinances and land purchasing plansImplementation of security measures that protect the drinking water sourceGeneral Funding CriteriaProjects must be completed within a one year time frameProjects must demonstrate a high likelihood of implementationProjects cannot exceed $60,000Projects must involve current or planned public drinking water sourcesProjects must involve some element of source water protectionPhased projects may be considered in subsequent years for fundingDocumentation of project partner commitment and/or landowner consent is requiredA Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) may be required for data collection and analysisConstruction projects exceeding $2,500 require a competitive bid process and mustdemonstrate a good faith effort regarding disadvantaged businessesProjects cannot begin prior to approval of MOA by KDOWQuarterly reporting and reimbursementMaintenance agreement, as applicable

Ineligibility

Projects that are eligible for DWSRF loans are not eligible for funding for this program. These include but are not limited to:Operation & MaintenanceTreatmentRoutine compliance monitoring and samplingTransmission & DistributionSystem Consolidation and/or InterconnectionsSource InfrastructureStorageCreation of new system