Security Grants for Privately-Owned Water Utilities

The Environmental Protection Agency Office for Water - Funding Office administered the Security Grants for Privately-Owned Water Utilities program (CFDA 66.477), with the most recent grant award made on September 1, 2002—over two decades ago.

This program is inactive. No grant awards have been issued since 2002, and no current grant opportunities are posted. The portfolio comprises 25 Project Grants totaling $3.2 million in federal obligations, all funded by the EPA Office for Water. Award activity clustered in 2000 and 2001, with six awards in 2000 and sixteen in 2001, followed by a sharp decline to a single award in 2002 and none thereafter.

All funded activity centered on vulnerability assessments and related security improvements at large drinking water utilities. Representative awards included Project Grant HM830722010 for $460 thousand, Project Grant HM830703010 for $218 thousand, and Project Grant HM830700010 for $223 thousand, all supporting vulnerability assessment work at large utilities. Individual awards typically ranged between $110 thousand and $115 thousand, with completion dates set for three to four years after award.

The program's funding base was minimal relative to its scope—combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated totaled $3.4 million across all 25 awards over a five-year window. The gap between federal and non-federal figures ($200 thousand) reflects modest cost-sharing from recipients.

Do not pursue this program. The absence of grant awards for nearly a quarter-century, combined with no advertised current opportunities, indicates the program is dormant or defunct. Any interest in water utility security funding should be directed to active EPA water infrastructure or cybersecurity programs.