Source Water Protection Grants
The Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment has supported source water protection grants for public water suppliers in Minnesota since 2010.
MDH will award new grants each fiscal year if funding is available. MDH will accept applications during the following time periods.
| Notice of Availability by Grant Category | Months Applications Accepted |
|---|---|
| Plan Implementation | March and September |
| Competitive | April and October |
| Transient | March and September |
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 and are not currently subject to administrative penalty action by MDH for violating public water supply regulations.
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;
To obtain this information in a different format, call 651-201-4700.
Applications
Applications are open each March and September for Plan Implementation and Transient Grants and in April and October for Competitive Grants.
Plan Implementation Grant Application (PDF)
Competitive Grant Application (PDF)
Transient Grant Application (PDF)
Invoices
Plan Implementation Grant Invoice (PDF)
Competitive Grant Invoice (PDF)
Grant Narrative
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
- 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 pressure tanks (water lines may be reimbursed only from the well to the pressure tank or to the building, whichever comes first)
Please note that grants do not cover activities outside of the Drinking Water Supply Management Area (DWSMA), 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.
