Source Water Protection Grants

Due to a necessary revamp of our grants database, we need additional time and staff capacity this year to migrate data and complete the process of setting up our new system. Unfortunately, this means it is not feasible for us to implement our spring round of grants in 2025.

These updates will streamline the grants application process. Applicants will be able to track progress of their grants online, collaborate with MDH staff and others on their application, save an application online and come back to it, and will overall benefit from a much-improved user experience.

The spring grant round is being deferred to the fall. 

We anticipate the approximately $300,000 that would’ve been awarded in the spring will be available in addition to the fall funding amount. The maximum award amount of $10,000 will still be in place.

All Public Water Suppliers and staff who were planning on applying for a competitive, plan implementation, or transient grant.

The process for amending or closing out a grant may be different or require a different form than usual. Otherwise, there will be no changes to your award.

We are not able to offer exceptions at this time. If you are experiencing violations or have questions specific to your system, please contact your MDH or MRWA representative (MDH Staff Contacts (PDF), MRWA Staff Contacts).

The Drinking Water Sub-Grant program—part of the Board of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) Clean Water Fund Competitive Grant program—will be available soon. View the Drinking Water Protection Grant fact sheet (PDF) for more information.

• The application period typically opens in June.
• The grant minimum is $30,000.
• The BWSR maximum award amount may be up to the amount of funding available. Last year, up to $1,283,000 was available.
• This year’s request for proposals will be published on the BWSR website when available.

Some of the activities that can be funded by SWP grants may also be funded by the drinking water sub-grant, such as well sealing, nitrogen management and perennial crops, and forestry conservation.

• Note: well drilling and drinking water treatment are ineligible.

SWP grants are not federally funded. The Minnesota Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment (which created the Clean Water Fund) is the SWP grants source of funding. See Grants for Source Water Protection for more information. To learn more about the Clean Water Fund, view the 2024 Clean Water Fund Performance Report (PDF).

Public water suppliers are eligible for different grants based on their customer base and if they have a source water protection plan.

A public water supplier will qualify for continued grant eligibility after receiving an initial grant if they fulfilled all of the conditions that were specified under a previous grant. Grant funds may not be used to pay the fines or penalties of an Administrative Penalty Order.

Plan Implementation Grants

for community and noncommunity nontransient systems

• Apply to community or nontransient noncommunity water suppliers that have a current  MDH-approved wellhead protection plan or MDH-endorsed intake protection plan;
• Has a maximum amount of $10,000;
• Must be spent within the state fiscal biennium; and
• Does not require any financial cost share by the public water supplier.

Frequently Asked Questions about Plan Implementation Grants

Competitive Grants

for community and noncommunity nontransient systems

• Will help implement source water protection measures regardless of whether or not a community or noncommunity nontransient public water supplier has a wellhead protection plan in place;
• Support management of a potential contamination source that presents a high risk to a source of drinking water as determined by the MDH;
• Have a maximum amount of $10,000, which may be increased to $30,000 when three or more public water suppliers apply under the same application; and
• Must include an equal financial cost share amount.

Frequently Asked Questions about Competitive Grants

Transient Grants

for noncommunity transient systems

• Support wellhead protection measures that address a potential contamination source that presents a high risk to a source of drinking water as determined by MDH;
• Have a maximum amount of $10,000, which may be increased to $30,000 when three or more public water suppliers apply under the same application; and
• Require an equal financial cost share amount.

Frequently Asked Questions about Transient Grants

Applications are open each March and September for Plan Implementation and Transient Grants and in April and October for Competitive Grants. 

Plan Implementation Grant

• Plan Implementation Grant Application (PDF)
• Applicant/Recipient Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)
• Plan Implementation Grant Invoice (PDF)

Competitive Grant

• Competitive Grant Application (PDF)
• Applicant/Recipient Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)
• Competitive Grant Invoice (PDF)

Transient Grant

• Transient Grant Application (PDF)
• Applicant/Recipient Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)
• Transient Grant Invoice (PDF)

Grant Narrative (Use with all grants above)

• Grant Narrative Report (PDF)

Source Water Protection Grants help Noncommunity Water Systems provide safe drinking water.

• Source Water Protection Grants Protect Drinking Water: 2010-2020 (PDF)

See examples of eligible and ineligible activities below and on the Source Water Protection Grants information sheet (PDF).

Activities must protect the drinking water source to be eligible for grant funding.

Examples of eligible activities:

• Sealing an unused well
• Constructing a new well
  • Pressure tanks are grant eligible, as part of a new well construction and pump system project. The pressure tank must be appropriately sized for the pump being proposed for the new well and not sized for additional water storage. This change is effective starting with the FY 22 fall round of Transient, Implementation, and Competitive SWP grants.
• Installing a monitoring well
• Inspecting a well (video log, gamma log)
• Educating citizens
• Updating the potential contaminant source inventory
• Connecting private users to a public water supply (only when documented by MDH for compliance purposes)
• Planning for spill or emergency response
• Purchasing generators (MDH plan review and approval is required)

Examples of ineligible activities:

• Developing or amending source water protection plans
• Conducting infrastructure projects not related to the source of drinking water (e.g., replacing pump house buildings)
• Maintaining the public water supply system
• Purchasing a pressure tank designed to serve the purpose of water storage, as well as the replacement or maintenance of pressure tanks, remains ineligible for grant reimbursement.

Please note that grants do not cover illegal activities, activities that have already been completed, indirect or administrative costs related to the grant, or permitting fees payable to MDH (i.e. well construction fee; well sealing fee).

Contact the grants coordinator if you have questions about an activity’s eligibility before applying for a grant.

You can look up information about past grant awards using our Interactive Dashboard for Source Water Protection Grants. Grant reports for previous years are available upon request by calling 651-201-4700 or sending an email to health.drinkingwater@state.mn.us.

• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2021 (PDF)
• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2020 (PDF)
• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2019 (PDF)
• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2018 (PDF)
• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2017 (PDF)
• Grants Awarded for Fiscal Year 2016 (PDF)