Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program - Round 22

Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program - Round 22 is a grant from NYS DEC that funds projects protecting drinking water, reducing pollution, and improving water quality across New York State. On January 15, 2026, Governor Hochul announced over $200 million in awards to 131 projects statewide.

The program supports drinking water protection, aquatic habitat restoration, dam safety, aquatic connectivity, and marine habitat improvements. Eligible applicants are municipalities including Indian Nations and Soil and Water Conservation Districts for most categories; nonprofits are limited to land acquisition, dam safety, aquatic connectivity, and marine habitat projects. The current deadline is May 1, 2026.

Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program - NYSDEC Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program On January 15, 2026 Governor Hochul announced over $200 million was awarded to 131 projects across the State through the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program.

The grants will support projects that protect drinking water, combat contributors to harmful algal blooms, update aging water infrastructure, and improve habitat in communities statewide. View the 2025 Award List (PDF) .

To view previously awarded projects, please visit the Division of Water Grants Data Portal , which contains a comprehensive dataset of projects awarded through the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program in an easy-to-use map. Email questions to [email protected] .

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) .

For full Round 21 program details, view the WQIP Round 21 Program Overview (PDF). Applications are accepted annually through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) . The grant application period is currently closed but is expected to open for the Round 22 application period in May 2026.

Eligible Project Types & Required Match (2025)* 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%) *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 21 Program Overview (PDF).

Eligible Applicants (2025) 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 and Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal 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).

Statewide Financial System (SFS) All applicants must register in the NYS Statewide Financial System (SFS) to be considered eligible to accept this grant opportunity. For more information, including user guides and tutorial videos on how to register and prequalify, visit the Grants Management website .

If you have questions regarding WQIP after reading this webpage and the 2025 WQIP Program Overview (PDF), email [email protected] with “WQIP Grant Question” in the subject line.

Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) WQIP Budget Worksheet (PDF fillable form) - Please open using Acrobat Reader Budget Worksheet Tutorial for WQIP grant applications DECinfo Locator (WI/PWL segment fact sheets) How to read WI/PWL segment fact sheets on DECinfo Locator HUC 12 watersheds map (via DECinfo Locator, under “Environmental Monitoring – Hydrological Unit Code (HUC 12) 1:24,000 scale NYSDOT Map Index New York Statewide Financial System Sexual Harassment Prevention Certification Form (PDF) Executive Order No. 16 Certification Form (PDF) Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification Form (PDF) Potential Environmental Justice Area and Disadvantaged Community Mapping Tutorial for WQIP and NPG grant applications Maps of Environmental Justice areas in New York State Maps of Disadvantaged Communities in New York State Floodplain Map Instructional Guide (PDF) Flood Resiliency Requirements for WQIP and NPG grant applications Mapping Tutorial FEMA Flood Map Service Center Floodway Development and Floodway Guidance Resilient NY Flood Mitigation Reports NYS Flood Risk Management Guidance for Implementation of the Community Risk and Resiliency Act Long Island Sound Watershed Map Lake Champlain Watershed Map Climate Smart Communities Certification Actions Wastewater Treatment Improvement NYS EFC engineering report outline (PDF) Nonagricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Nonpoint Source Guidance and Technical Assistance Nonpoint source best management practices eligible for WQIP funding (PDF) Nonpoint Source Planning Grant NYS EFC engineering report outline Best Management Practice Detail Form Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Retrofit Feasibility Study Outline (PDF) NYS Maintenance Guidance: Stormwater Management Practices NYS Stormwater Design Manual Minimum Documentation Requirements for Control of External Sources of Nutrients Projects (PDF) NYSDOT Highway Design Manual Beach Sanitary Survey Requirements (PDF) EPA guidance for sanitary surveys Nature-based methods of shoreline stabilization North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Project (NAACC) Division of Fish and Wildlife Technical Guidance for Bridge and Culvert Projects (PDF) Vacuum Trucks in Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Areas MS4 Comprehensive Mapping Worksheet (PDF) Catch Basin Clean-Out Plan Requirements (PDF) Catch Basin Clean-Out Plan Template (PDF) Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection WQIP Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Toolkit Example detailed expenditure-based budget for projects (PDF) Example detailed expenditure-based budget for programs (PDF) Water withdrawal permitting requirements WQIP Land Acquisition Fact Sheet (PDF) Areal extent of zone of contribution Designing and maintaining riparian buffers "Soft" streambank stabilization Land Acquisition for Source Water Protection Document Guidance (PDF) Wellhead Scoring Map Example (PDF) River and Stream Scoring Map Example (PDF) Lakes and Reservoir Scoring Map Example (PDF) Sample of required Monitoring and Enforcement Protocols (PDF) Example of map meeting all required elements (surface water) (PDF) Example of map meeting all required elements (groundwater) (PDF) National Land Cover Dataset Agricultural Environmental Management program Conservation Easement Template " A Framework for Creating a Drinking Water Source Protection Program Plan " NYS Open Space Plan (PDF) Salt Storage and Road Salt Reduction OGS salt storage specifications Principal and Primary Aquifers Maps Secondary containment design specification guidance for brine storage tanks Winter Road Maintenance Outline (PDF) Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force Report Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation and Removal NYS Guidelines for Design of Dams (PDF) DOW TOGS 3.

1. 3 - Emergency Action Plans (PDF) DOW TOGS 3. 1.

4 - Guidelines for Engineering Assessment Reports (PDF) DOW TOGS 3. 1.

5 - Dam Hazard Class Classification (PDF) Stream Crossing Guidelines and Best Management Practices Species of Greatest Conservation Need North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Project (NAACC) Aquatic Connectivity Factsheet (PDF) Marine District Habitat Restoration Marine District Habitat Feasibility Study Outline (PDF) Species of Greatest Conservation Need New York's Marine District Waters Natural Resource Management Plans NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Program Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) South Shore Estuary Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) Peconic Estuary Program CCMP Long Island Sound Study CCMP Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda New York Ocean Action Plan New York State Ocean Acidification Task Force Final Report Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement US EPA Wetland Restoration, Creation, and Enhancement: Introduction and User's Guide BLM Riparian Restoration Technical Reference Species of Greatest Conservation Need North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Project (NAACC) Environmental Assessment Form Mapper Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Fact Sheet (PDF) Division of Water Grants Data Portal The Grants Data Portal contains a comprehensive dataset of projects awarded through the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) and the Non-Agricultural Nonpoint Source Planning and MS4 Mapping Grant (NPG) programs in an easy-to-use map.

Detailed user instructions and a list of available data are provided on the info panel that appears when opening the web app.