Small Communities Eligible for DANR Water Infrastructure Grant

The Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources encourages communities to apply for the Small Community Planning Grant Program, which promotes a proactive approach to water and wastewater infrastructure management.

The program provides small communities funds to hire an engineering consultant to develop a project specific engineering report. The engineering report's level of detail will be on par with the facilities plan required for Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program projects.

The grant is available to systems serving a population of 2,500 or fewer. The project sponsor must be an entity of government (county, municipality, or township), or a special purpose district with the authority to construct a water or wastewater project (sanitary, water user, watershed, or water project). Nonprofit organizations are also eligible provided they were formed for the primary purpose of supplying water or sanitary service.

Communities will be reimbursed 80% of the cost of the engineering study upon completion of the engineering report. A community may receive up to $8,000 for a water engineering study and up to $10,000 for a wastewater related study.

The remaining cost will be paid by the community and may consist of local cash or other non-state grant assistance. In-kind contributions will not be accepted as local match.

Applications are available online at danr.sd.gov and are reviewed as they are submitted. Grants may be awarded at any time on a first-come, first-served basis. ■