Northern Water launching new water-efficient landscape grant program
BERTHOUD – A new grant opportunity is now available to Northern Colorado public entities, businesses, HOAs and others served by Northern Water. This initiative facilitates sustainable, water-efficient landscapes and creates new education opportunities for the public.
With the Collaborative Water-Efficient Landscape Grant Program, Northern Water is looking to help fund new or redeveloped Colorado climate-friendly landscapes that require minimal or no irrigation. As part of this program, Northern Water will provide signs and other materials, so these projects can serve as water-efficiency demonstration and education sites. Examples include the adoption of third-party landscape certifications, changes to HOA-managed common areas, municipal properties, park renovations, and more.
These grants may range from $5,000 up to $15,000, with a limited number of grants being awarded in a given year.
“There is a lot of excitement surrounding this new program,” said Frank Kinder, who serves as Water Efficiency Program Manager at Northern Water. “Northern Colorado water providers and users face increasing demands and diverse challenges. We believe these grants can serve as an important tool in helping local entities to be even more efficient with their resources, while also beautifying our communities and showcasing the benefits of different landscape approaches to the public.”
The application deadline for this grant program is Feb. 15. Applicants will be notified by March 15 and are asked to have these landscape projects completed no later than Oct. 30.
This application process is open to public facilities, private businesses, schools, multi-family complexes and HOAs, among others, located within Northern Water’s boundaries.
A 50 percent match will be required of the applicants, which can be met with cash and/or inkind labor contributions.
To qualify, landscapes must be at least 500 square feet, although smaller projects may be considered if they offer unique public education opportunities. These projects must also be designed to use substantially less water than traditional landscapes and include at least 50 percent plant coverage once the plants are mature.
Additional details about this grant opportunity, along with an application, can be found at http://www.northernwater.org/WaterConservation.
About Northern Water
Northern Water, a public agency created in 1937, provides water for agricultural, municipal, domestic and industrial uses to an eight-county service area with a population of nearly 960,000. Northern Water and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operate the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, which collects water on the West Slope and delivers it to Northeastern Colorado through a 13-mile tunnel beneath Rocky Mountain National Park. It and the Municipal Subdistrict are currently developing the Windy Gap Firming Project and the Northern Integrated Supply Project to enhance Front Range water supplies for the future.