Source Water Protection Grants Program

Source Water Protection Grants Program

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy
Last Updated: April 24, 2025

Summary

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy is offering Source Water Protection Grants to support projects that enhance drinking water safety and quality. Eligible projects include public education, water conservation, and pollution prevention efforts. Grants aim to foster community involvement and sustainable practices in source water protection. Applicants must be political subdivisions serving populations of 10,000 or less with financial hardships. A 10% matching contribution is required. Applications are encouraged for initiatives with long-term benefits.

Overview

The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) is inviting proposals for source water protection projects. Funding is authorized through section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act as administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NDEE. These funds are a potential source of support for drinking water protection projects in Nebraska. Types of Projects Types of projects that are eligible for funding include those that are associated with source water protection measures and will implement protection activities in existing source water protection areas, designated future source water protection areas, and in the associated communities. Community involvement and education, in how to protect and improve its drinking water source, is also a central theme in these grants. Projects will be expected to provide long-term benefits to drinking water quality, and/or quantity, education. Types of projects that may be eligible for funding include only those that are directly associated with source water protection measures such as: Public educationWater recycling and other conservation programsSupport for pollution preventionRestoration and/or conservation of the source water protection areaDevelopment of a Wellhead Protection, or Drinking Water Protection Managment PlanWater quality monitoring at critical points in protection areasEvaluations of agricultural practices and education on best management practicesInstallation of signs at boundaries of zones or protection areasStructures to divert contaminated runoff from the sourceClosure of abandoned wells Rather than providing the grant to complete one task such as well abandonment, it is preferred that grants be provided to help establish and develop comprehensive local source water protection programs. Source water protection programs are ongoing, locally designed voluntary efforts to protect drinking water sources used by community water systems. Grants can be used to develop a Wellhead Protection Plan but only in conjunction with a source water protection program.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible ApplicantsPolitical subdivisions in Nebraska that operate a public water system serving a population of 10,000 or less that can show financial hardship.Hardship eligibility criteria: MHI (Median Household Income) of the political subdivision population must be less or equal to 120% of the statewide MHI reported in the 2018-2022 ACS five-year estimate of $57,378.120% of State MHI: $71,722Applicants that don’t meet the hardship eligibility may submit a financial hardship report to the Department for additional consideration justifying the grant request.Matching Contribution RequiredThere is a 10% non-federal match requirement.Match can be in-kind and/or cash.General Project RequirementsProjects must focus on the protection of Nebraska public drinking water sources, not operation and maintenance of the system or water treatment.Projects must include activities in one or more of the three categories: water quality, water quantity, and/or water public education.Projects must have a good potential for success (i.e., tasks must yield measurable improvement in water quality, reduction of water use, increased resource reliability, citizen knowledge and/or behaviors, etc.).Commitment must be demonstrated by the public water system and local government to develop, implement, support, and sustain a local protection program after funding is received.On-the-ground activities must take place within existing wellhead protection areas, source water protection areas, designated future wellhead protection areas, or the associated area served by the community Public Water Supply System.Eligible ActivitiesProjects that provide long-term benefits to drinking water quality, quantity, and/or education.Contaminant source identification – research / investigation.Contaminant pathway removal – includes the closure of abandoned or unused wells.Contaminant removal – pollution prevention and waste reduction.Contaminant source management – implementation of best management practices (BMPs), ordinance development, and implementation of a Source Water or Wellhead Protection Plan.Information and education sharing – workshops, brochures, meetings, and media campaigns.Development of a Drinking Water Protection Management Plan which is an alternative to 9-element watershed management plans. These plans will focus on wellhead protection areas. Plans must address implementable groundwater best management practices.

Ineligibility

Ineligible ActivitiesActivities related to the operations and maintenance of drinking water systems including: treatment, transmission, distribution, consolidation or storage.Land purchases.Projects that only develop a traditional Wellhead Protection Plan and do nothing toward implementation of the plan; these plans should not be confused with a Drinking Water Protection Management Plan.Projects requesting only personnel expenses.Projects geared towards the security aspect of Source Water, such as security fencing and cameras.