Opportunity Information: Apply for RDRUS 24 DWS
The Rural Decentralized Water System (DWS) Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to expand access to safe, reliable household water and wastewater services in rural areas. The program is designed specifically to help low- to moderate-income individuals afford the costs associated with individually owned household drinking water wells and decentralized wastewater systems (most commonly septic systems) that they already own or expect to own. Instead of providing direct grants to homeowners, the program funds an intermediary that uses the award to set up and operate a revolving loan fund, meaning the money is lent out and then repaid so it can be reused to help additional households over time.
Grant recipients are required to use the federal funds to establish and maintain a revolving fund that provides loans and sub-grants to eligible individuals. Those household-level financial supports can then be used for core improvements to decentralized water infrastructure, including constructing new systems, refurbishing older ones, rehabilitating damaged or failing components, or replacing systems that are no longer functional or safe. For water wells, eligible work can generally be covered up to the "point of entry" to the home, which is defined as the junction where water enters the home’s internal plumbing after it has been pumped from the well. For septic and other decentralized wastewater systems, the equivalent boundary is the "point of exit," defined as where wastewater leaves the home’s internal collection system and flows into the septic tank and drain field. In practical terms, this framing clarifies that the program is focused on the privately owned well and septic infrastructure serving the home, rather than interior household plumbing upgrades.
The program also recognizes that administering small loans and sub-grants takes staffing and systems, so it allows grant funds to be used for administrative expenses tied directly to delivering the DWS financial assistance. That can include the costs of managing the revolving fund, underwriting and servicing loans, processing sub-grants, and maintaining the compliance and reporting needed to operate the program responsibly. The intent is to ensure the intermediary can run the program effectively while keeping the main emphasis on financing household well and septic projects.
From a funding listing standpoint, the opportunity is titled "Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program" (Funding Opportunity Number: RDRUS 24 DWS). It is categorized as a grant under a discretionary funding opportunity, associated with assistance listing/CFDA number 10.862, and it aligns with activity areas such as agriculture, community development, environment, and health. The agency expects to make about 10 awards. The posting indicates an original closing date of June 28, 2024, and lists an award ceiling of $0 (which typically means the ceiling was not specified in that field rather than implying no maximum in practice). Eligibility details are not fully spelled out in the text provided, and applicants are directed to the USDA Rural Development website for the specific eligibility requirements and program rules: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/rural-decentralized-water-systems-grant-program.Apply for RDRUS 24 DWS
- The Rural Utilities Service in the agriculture, community development, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.862.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RDRUS 24 DWS) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program Apply for RDRUS 25 DWS Funding Number: RDRUS 25 DWS Agency: Rural Utilities Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revolving Fund Program Apply for RDRUS 25 RFP Funding Number: RDRUS 25 RFP Agency: Rural Utilities Service Category: Agriculture, Community Development, Environment, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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