Drought Funding
The State Water Board has funding available for projects that address either drought-related urgent drinking water needs or long-term resilience. We aim to develop relationships and collaborate with public agencies (including counties and Regional Boards), tribal governments, water systems, and non-profit organizations to assist with long- and short-term drinking water projects. These entities are all eligible to apply for funding.
We do not directly fund individual households. If you are an individual looking for immediate assistance, go to the drinking water assistance page. If you are a county or partnering with a county to implement a program to assist individual households, please refer to the County-wide and Regional Funding Programs webpage.
How to Apply
- For emergency assistance: Contact your county office of emergency services
- For short-term/emergency projects (see examples below): Complete the Urgent Drinking Water Needs Application and submit to DFA-CAA@waterboards.ca.gov (assistance is available upon request)
- For long-term/resiliency projects (see examples below): Complete the funding application online via the Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST).
For small communities, select the Request for Proposal (RFP) titled "Small Community Funding Program, Pre-Application". All other drinking water systems can apply directly to the RFP titled “Drinking Water State Revolving Fund” (either planning or construction). For water recycling projects, use the "Water Recycling Funding Program" RFP.
Project Examples
Short-term solutions (mostly emergency repairs and drinking water delivery)
- Bottled water delivery
- Hauled water delivery (tanks)
- Well repairs
- Emergency interties
- Well rehabilitation or replacement
- Necessary rented or borrowed equipment
Long-term solutions
- New wells
- Extension of service
- Regional consolidation
- Treatment systems
- Distribution system improvements
- New tanks
- Emergency generators
- Water recycling projects
Organizations and entities interested in funding drinking water programs for schools may apply directly through technical assistance providers. Find more information here.
Contact Information
(916) 319-9066
