Water Quality Improvement Fund Grants

The Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) is a Colorado state grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). It is funded by civil penalties collected from water quality violations and operates under the Water Quality Control Commission’s Regulation 55. The goal of the program is to support water and wastewater infrastructure improvements that protect and enhance water quality across the state. Funds from WQIF are awarded on a competitive basis and are subject to availability, depending on the accumulation of penalty revenues. WQIF supports a range of project types. Eligible activities include stormwater management training, infrastructure improvements for communities affected by civil penalties, design and construction of domestic wastewater treatment facilities listed on the State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plan, and nonfederal match contributions for nonpoint source pollution control projects. The program is intended to help both public and private not-for-profit systems and organizations that play a role in Colorado’s water quality management. Eligible applicants include governmental agencies, publicly owned and not-for-profit water systems, stormwater program administrators and training providers, not-for-profit watershed groups, and even private landowners impacted by water quality violations. The fund specifically targets organizations capable of implementing water quality improvements either through physical infrastructure projects or through training and planning initiatives that support long-term compliance and sustainability. Applications are submitted through a Request for Applications (RFA) process. Each RFA outlines the specific eligibility requirements, timelines, and procedures applicants must follow. An RFA is issued only when the fund has accumulated sufficient financial resources. Completed applications are evaluated based on eligibility and alignment with program objectives. While the most recent WQIF RFA was closed at the time of this writing, past RFAs have been issued for both infrastructure improvements and training programs, categorized by project type. CDPHE also administers the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program (EC-SDC), funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This grant program supports Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects to mitigate emerging contaminants like PFAS and manganese. Tier 1 awards up to $300,000 for planning and design projects over 24 months. Tier 2 provides infrastructure funding up to $30 million total per project, not to exceed $10 million in a single year. Projects must complete assessment sampling prior to applying and must meet prequalification steps as outlined in the Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF) guidelines. Applications for the EC-SDC program are accepted during designated RFA windows, the most recent of which opened on June 17, 2024 and closed on August 16, 2024. Future RFA periods are anticipated biannually, in January and June, through at least 2028, depending on continued federal allocations. Applicants are evaluated based on eligibility criteria in the RFA and should contact CDPHE via [email protected] for program-specific questions. More general inquiries regarding WQIF should be directed to [email protected] or 303-692-2848.

Applicants must complete assessment sampling prior to applying; DWRF prequalification is mandatory for both tiers.