The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water.

WaterSMART provides support for the Department’s priorities, including creating a legacy of conservation stewardship, sustainably developing our energy and natural resources, modernizing our infrastructure through public- private partnerships, and restoring trust with local communities by improving relationships and communication with states, tribes, local governments, communities, landowners and water users. WaterSMART also supports Reclamation’s priorities, including increasing water supplies, leveraging science and technology to improve water supply reliability, addressing ongoing drought, and improving water supplies for tribal and rural communities.

Through the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program (Title XVI), authorized by Public Law (P.L.) 102-575 in 1992, Reclamation provides financial and technical assistance to local water agencies for the planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects. Water recycling is a tool in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Title XVI projects develop and supplement urban and irrigation water supplies through water reuse, thereby improving efficiency, providing flexibility during water shortages, and diversifying the water supply. Through the Title XVI Program, Reclamation provides funding to facilitate investment in technology and enables broader scale use of recycled water which supports the goals of the October 19, 2018 Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West. These projects provide growing communities with new sources of clean water which increases water management flexibility and makes our water supply more reliable. Title XVI water projects are an important part of the WaterSMART Program.

Sponsors of any one of the 53 Title XVI Projects specifically authorized by the Title XVI Act; provided that the Title XVI Project has not reached its Federal funding ceiling as specified in the Title XVI Act. For a list of authorized projects please visit the Title XVI website https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/title/authorized.html. A separate FOA open to sponsors of projects eligible under section 4009(c) of the WIIN Act will be released later this year.