WaterNow has had the privilege of assisting cities and water agencies that have become champions of change in their communities by implementing sustainable, local water projects. In the continuation of this program, we are happy to announce two more Accelerators that we will be working with this Winter and Spring! .
Drumroll please... WaterNow is pleased to announce our Winter 2020 Project Accelerators: the Town of Severance in Colorado, and Desert Water Agency in California.
Incorporating Water Efficiency into Comprehensive Plan – Town of Severance, Colorado
Severance is updating its Comprehensive Plan in order to establish a community vision, set goals, and identify opportunities for smart growth and development. Due to the Town’s rapid population growth, they are interested in incorporating sound water conservation tactics into the Plan to ensure a reliable water supply for their residents, now and into the future.
WaterNow will work with Town staff and Board members to provide additional capacity and expertise to guide the development of water elements into the Comprehensive Plan. We will, among other tasks, research and compile existing resources on integrating water into comprehensive planning, identify and conduct informational interviews with communities that have adopted exemplary comprehensive plans with water conservation elements, convene stakeholder meetings, and draft water efficiency recommendations to include in the Plan. Developing water wise land use planning measures is one of the most crucial steps that fast-growing communities can take to ensure their water supply resilience.
US Bureau of Reclamation Water Smart Grant Application Assistance for Turf Removal Program – Desert Water Agency, California
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ocated in the arid Sonoran Desert in Southern California, Desert Water Agency (DWA) is well aware of the importance of preserving water resources. To promote efficient water use, DWA has offered turf replacement rebates since 2014 to convert high water use lawns to water wise landscapes. The program has shown great success over the years, saving millions of gallons of water. Now, DWA is interested in applying for a USBR WaterSMART’s Small-Scale Water Efficiency Grant to expand their popular turf replacement program to be able to offer even more rebates.
DWA applied to the WaterNow Project Accelerator for support in understanding the nuances of the application process, connecting with USBR staff, and strengthening their application. WaterNow has supported 13 communities with the competitive WaterSmart Grant process. We’re thrilled to support DWA and their efforts to become more water resilient.
A big congratulations to our new Accelerators, and a big thank you to everyone who has applied in the past! The Fall 2020 Application Round for Project Accelerator is right around the corner and we strongly encourage you to consider applying. We are so excited to build a more sustainable, resilient water future with you!