Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Engineering Report Grants

Eligible applicants include municipalities, counties, utility districts, political subdivisions or instrumentalities of the state that:

• Operate a permitted public drinking water system serving a population less than 3,300 and evaluating improvements to their own system
• Operate a permitted public drinking water system serving a population of greater than 3,300 and developing a plan to consolidate or regionalize a nearby system that serves a population less than 3,300
• Operate a permitted public drinking water system of any size and proposing to develop a plan to provide safe drinking water to a group of households that are currently using wells that produce unsafe drinking water (e.g., wells are contaminated with a substance at concentrations that exceed the Maximum Contaminant Level)

In order to be eligible, the applicant must:

• Have no outstanding fees due to the department
• Have no prior engineering report(s) for the same issues
• Agree to make a good faith effort to pursue recommendations contained in the approved engineering report or facility plan

All applicants must demonstrate technical, managerial and financial capability to participate in the program.

Grant funds provide reimbursement of eligible expenses for services provided during the project’s budget period. Projects the applicant already started or previously completed are not eligible for reimbursement.

Eligible costs include:

• Reasonable engineering services and investigations incurred during the grant budget period for developing the engineering report or facility plan
• Costs for additional items approved by the department, deemed reasonable, necessary and allocable to the project within the department-approved allowable scope of the project
• Reasonable costs that produce an engineering report that makes reasonable and cost-effective recommendations that will meet Safe Drinking Water law requirements

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• Engineering plan or engineering services completed before the grant is awarded or outside the approved project period
• Preparing the drinking water engineering report grant application
• Costs outside the scope of the department-approved project
• Ordinary operating expenses, including elected and appointed officials salaries and expenses, preparing routine financial reports and studies and state operating permit fees or other such permit fees necessary for normal operation of the constructed facility
• Preparing applications and permits
• Preparing applications for future funding for work following the engineering report
• Administrative, engineering or legal activities associated with establishing special departments, agencies, commissions, regions, districts or other units of government
• Fines and penalties
• Force account labor (use of a grantee's own labor force) including engineering

For additional information, visit the department's State Revolving Fund Plans and Reports webpage and review the most current DWSRF Intended Use Plan.

Funding is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Qualifying eligible communities may receive an 80% grant, not to exceed a maximum amount of $30,000, with a 20% recipient match.
• Qualifying disadvantaged communities may receive up to 100% of the eligible Engineering Report Grant costs, not to exceed a maximum amount of $37,500. A disadvantaged community is one that meets the following requirements, based on the most recent decennial census or an income survey overseen by a state or federal agency:
  • Has a population less than or equal to 3,300
  • Median household income is at or below 75% of the state average
  • User rates are at or above 2% of the median household income

The department accepts DWSRF Engineering Report Grant applications throughout the year. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as funds are available. To apply for this grant, applicants may submit their completed application by email (preferred) to fac@dnr.mo.gov or mail to the department's Financial Assistance Center. 

• Drinking Water Engineering Report Grant Application MO 780-2912

The department scores and prioritizes project applications for funding based on specific criteria. Prioritization is given to projects that address the most serious problems. Factors considered include Safe Drinking Water Act violations and compliance issues; problems with waterborne disease, minimum working pressure and inadequate supply; problems with inadequate wells, water loss, distribution systems, storage and treatment; regionalization interconnection and security; and technical, managerial and financial capacity demonstration. A complete listing or prioritization factors and factor weighting is provided within the application.

Engineering Procurement

Applicants must properly procure their engineering consultant. The information below is provided by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri (ACEC Missouri) and explains the Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) of  professional services.

• Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) - Important Info
• Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) State & Federal Law