Sunrise barely peeking through a distant tree line at the Marion Access to the Missouri River
By far the largest source of drinking water for Missourians is surface water from the Missouri River.

Application Period is Open

Source water are the streams, lakes, springs and groundwater reservoirs used as a raw water source to produce potable drinking water. It is important to protect source water to ensure that everyone has access to clean, healthy drinking water. Creating and implementing preventative action plans, such as source water protection plans, reduces the need for costly treatment upgrades and protects the health and vitality of the community.

Section 1452(g) and (k) of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to distribute part of the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (DWSRF) set-asides to promote source water protection awareness, education and implementation. Through this grant program, the department provides financial assistance to community public water systems to develop and implement voluntary, local source water protection plans to protect the community’s raw water source(s) from contamination. The department anticipates accepting applications starting in February. 

Information and Assistance

For additional information, please contact the department’s Source Water Protection Program Coordinator at 573-526-2180 or via email at sourcewaterprotection@dnr.mo.gov.

Who Can Apply

Community public water systems that produce all or portions of their water from a raw water source are eligible to apply for financial assistance through this program. Applying public water systems must be compliant with all national primary drinking water regulations or actively working towards compliance to qualify.

Eligible Projects and Costs

Grant funds provide reimbursement for approved, eligible activities included in a fully executed financial assistance agreement between the department and the community public water system. Eligible projects include the following:

  • Source water protection plan implementation projects
  • Source water protection plan development projects

Implementation projects are for eligible applicants with existing protection plans that have current endorsement from the department. Development projects are for eligible applicants seeking to develop an original local, voluntary protection plan or to revise and update an existing protection plan that has expired endorsement from the department. Plan development or revision projects require submitting a completed Source Water Protection Plan to the department before reimbursement of eligible expenses.

Award Amounts and Match

Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis after the priority application period. Maximum award amounts are limited to $25,000. Matching funds are not required but may contribute to project selection and ranking according to the priority point criteria described in section 4 of the grant application form. 

Application Process

The priority application period for the Source Water Protection Project Grant closed March 31, 2024. Applications received between April 1, 2024 through May 15, 2024, may be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis if available funds remain.

Applications are ranked competitively and awarded in order of priority rank. To receive priority funding consideration, applicants must submit their application through the department's Funding Opportunities Portal. New funding portal users must submit a Funding Opportunities Portal Access Request to establish access and use the portal. The application form and related materials are accessible through the funding portal.

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