Project Goal
WaterNow provided support for Desert Water Agency (DWA) to write a FY20 WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Program (SWEP) grant application. The goal of this initiative was for DWA to receive $75,000 in funding to expand their existing grass removal program, which would result in an additional 12.94 AFY of water savings.
Our Approach
The primary purpose of this project was to develop a successful WaterSMART grant application for DWA’s Grass Removal Incentive Program. A secondary purpose was to develop institutional knowledge on writing and submitting SWEP applications in order to support other communities through WaterNow’s WaterSMART direct assistance initiative. Throughout the course of the project, we worked with DWA and Bureau of Reclamation staff to develop the scope of the grant application, answer questions, and guide the application submission process.
Outcomes
DWA was notified that they had been awarded $75,000 in SWEP funding for their Grass Removal Incentive Program application in June 2020. The 50% WaterSMART cost-share requirement was met with a $290,000 grant from the California Department of Water Resources for a total of $365,000 in grant funds to expand the agency’s grass removal program. This year, DWA expects to remove about 330,000 square feet of grass–with an estimated savings of roughly 20.5 million gallons or 62.9 AF per year.
(photo credit: Desert Water Agency)
