Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program

THE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (WQIP) GRANT APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED. AWARDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER 2026..

To view previously awarded projects, visit the Division of Water Grants Data Portal webpage, which includes an easy-to-use map of projects awarded through the WQIP program. 

Please email questions to [email protected]. 

Program Description

The Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program is a competitive, statewide reimbursement grant program that funds projects that directly improve water quality or habitat, promote flood risk reduction, restoration, and enhanced flood and climate resiliency, or protect a drinking water source. For an overview of the program, view the WQIP Factsheet (PDF).

For more information, review the WQIP Q&A (PDF).

If you are looking for funding for the planning or design of a nonpoint source project, please refer to the NPG Grant webpage. 

Applicant Information

Applications are accepted through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) Round 22 is closed; the Round 23 application period is expected to open Spring 2027. 

For full program details, view the WQIP Round 22 Program Overview (PDF).

Eligible Project Types & Required Match (2026)*

  • Wastewater Treatment Improvement (25%)
  • Nonagricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control (25%)
  • Vacuum Trucks in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Areas (25%)
  • Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection (25%)
  • Salt Storage and Road Salt Reduction (25%)
  • Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal (25%)
  • Aquatic Connectivity (25%)
  • Marine District Habitat Restoration (25%)
  • Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement (25%)
  • Landfill Leachate Treatment (25%)

*Match is the percentage of the award amount grant recipients are required to provide as a local share. For more information about each category, including priorities, application requirements, and scoring criteria, view the WQIP Round 22 Program Overview (PDF).

Eligible Applicants (2026)

  • Municipalities* (including Indian Nations) are eligible for all project types
  • Soil and Water Conservation Districts are eligible for all project types except Wastewater Treatment Improvement, Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal, and Landfill Leachate Treatment.
  • 501 (c)(3) Not-for-Profit Corporations are eligible for Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection, Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal, Aquatic Connectivity, Marine District Habitat Restoration, and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement only.

*For the purpose of this grant opportunity, "municipality" means a local public authority or public benefit corporation, a county, city, town, village, school district, supervisory district, district corporation, improvement district within a county, city, town or village, or Indian nation or tribe recognized by the state or the United States with a reservation wholly or partly within the boundaries of New York State, or any combination thereof (Environmental Conservation Law §56-0101).

Questions

If you have questions regarding WQIP after reading this webpage and the 2026 WQIP Program Overview (PDF),  email [email protected] with “WQIP Grant Question” in the subject line.

Application Resources

Required Attachments for All Applications

Find additional required project-type specific attachments in the WQIP Program Overview.

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Wastewater Treatment Improvement Applications
  • Engineering report prepared, stamped, signed, and dated by a New York State licensed Professional Engineer
Municipal Systems to Serve Multiple Properties with Inadequate On-site Septic Systems
  • Sanitary survey (if applicable)
  • Final DWSP2: Drinking Water Source Protection Program (if applicable)

Wastewater Effluent Disinfection

Watershed Plan Implementation of Phosphorus Reduction

Watershed Plan Implementation

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)/Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO)

Other Wastewater Treatment Improvements

N/AN/A

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Nonagricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Applications
Decentralized Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities for Failing On-Site Treatment Systems
  • Feasibility Study or Engineering report that follows the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation/DEC Engineering Report Outline for New York State Wastewater Infrastructure Projects
Green Infrastructure Practices
  • Feasibility Study or engineering report that meets WQIP Green Infrastructure or Stormwater Retrofit Feasibility Study Requirements
  • Policies and procedures for maintaining best management practices (BMPs)
Stormwater Retrofits
  • Feasibility Study or engineering report that meets WQIP Green Infrastructure or Stormwater Retrofit Feasibility Study Requirements
  • Policies and procedures for maintaining best management practices (BMPs)
Streambank / Shoreline StabilizationN/A
Riparian BuffersN/A
In-Waterbody Controls for Nutrients

 

  • Documentation of projects that are completed or underway to control external sources of nutrients
  • A study acceptable to DEC by a qualified professional that identifies significant internal waterbody loading and justification for the proposed BMP
  • Plan for long-term operation and maintenance (if applicable)
Bathing Beach Restoration
  • Beach Sanitary Survey for swimming beaches
  • For green infrastructure projects: Feasibility Study that meets WQIP Green Infrastructure or Stormwater Retrofit Feasibility Study Requirements 
Stream Culvert Repair and Replacement
  • Photographs of proposed site(s) demonstrating erosion and/or a DEC-approved site assessment report documenting erosion
Nonpoint Source ProgramN/A

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Applications for Vacuum Trucks in MS4 Areas

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsOther Resources
All Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Applications
  • Monitoring and Enforcement Protocol
  • Project Map meeting all Land Acquisition requirements
ProjectN/A
Program
  • Fiscal Reports (if applicable)

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
Salt StorageN/A
Road Salt Reduction
  • Public highway lane and water resource map

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal Applications
  • Engineering report prepared, stamped, signed, and dated by a New York State licensed Professional Engineer
  • Emergency Action Plan
  • Annual Certification

  • Dam owner agreement (if applicable)

     

 

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
Primary Priority
  • Identify culverts, bridges or dams that are causing aquatic connectivity obstructions as documented by one of the following:
    • North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) assessment 
    • Picture(s) of proposed site(s) upstream, downstream, inlet and outlet (culverts), structure (dams)
    • DEC-accepted culvert site assessment report or feasibility study
Secondary Priority
  • North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) assessment or picture(s) of proposed site(s) upstream, downstream, inlet and outlet (culverts), structure (dams).

  • Photographs documenting poor infrastructure condition of culverts or bridges

     

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Marine District Habitat Restoration Applications
  • Feasibility Study that meets the Marine District Habitat Restoration Feasibility Study Outline required elements
  • Landowner agreements (if property not owned by applicant)
  • Pictures of successful marine district project(s) (if applicable)

 

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement ApplicationsN/A

Grant Category/SubcategoryAdditional Required AttachmentsResources
All Landfill Leachate Treatment Applications
  • Engineering Report that follows the engineering report outline for New York state landfill leachate projects

 

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