Water Replenishment Projects: Infrastructure, Agriculture, Nature-Based Solutions Request for information is sponsored by Google Data Centers. This Request for Information (RFI) seeks shovel-ready and early-concept projects eligible for co-funding that would be operational before 2030. Google's Water Stewardship program aims to replenish more water than consumed by 2030 and improve water quality and ecosystem health.

Water Replenishment Projects: Infrastructure, Agriculture, Nature-Based Solutions Request for information Water Replenishment Projects: Infrastructure, Agriculture, Nature-Based Solutions Google aims to replenish more freshwater than we consume by 2030 and help improve water quality and ecosystem health in the communities where we operate.

We do this by supporting partners to implement projects that benefit watersheds that source our operations, ranging from nature-based solutions to water-saving technologies to infrastructure improvements. This Water Replenishment Projects — Request for Information (RFI) seeks to identify shovel-ready and early-concept projects eligible for co-funding that would be operational before 2030.

Any project that conserves, restores, or keeps water in the watershed that would otherwise be lost, flow out of the watershed, or be inaccessible due to water quality concerns may be considered “replenishment. ” Depending on the nature of the project activities, applicants may submit proposals under the Infrastructure, Agriculture, or Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) project categories.

These projects involve engineered solutions and "gray" infrastructure to improve water efficiency, supply, or quality. These projects focus on farm-level practices and technology to reduce agricultural water demand and improve soil health. These projects preserve or restore elements of natural systems, such as forests, rivers, and wetlands, to improve the hydrologic cycle.

Project Categorization Guide Please review the following tables to evaluate the correct project category for your submission.

Example qualifying activities • Leak detection and repair (utility or building scale) • Wastewater treatment plants (new or enhanced) • Piped water systems and household connections • Stormwater detention/retention ponds (gray) • Water reuse and recycling systems • Aquifer storage and recovery/managed aquifer recharge Relevant VWBA 2.

0 indicators Previously funded projects Toilet Leak Detection : Installation of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in multi-family and affordable housing to detect and alert management to leaks. Rural Water System Repairs : Replacement of a segment of a leaking water main to reduce significant water loss and improve rural access.

Aquifer Storage and Recovery : Rehabilitation of production wells to equip them with the capacity to store excess drinking water underground during periods of low demand.

Example qualifying activities • Irrigation efficiency or conversion (e.g., flood to drip) • Regenerative agriculture and grazing management • Cover crops, mulching, and reduced/no-till • Agricultural nutrient or pesticide management • Fallowing or crop conversion • Water leasing and environmental water transactions Relevant VWBA 2.

0 indicators Depending on the project activities and objectives, indicators of water quality benefits may also be relevant (see Water Quality Benefit Accounting (WQBA) guidance ): • Percent pollutant concentration reduction Previously funded projects Precision Drip Irrigation Conversion : Replacing traditional, high-water-use flood irrigation systems with high-efficiency drip or smart systems for crops like alfalfa, corn, and rice.

AI for Irrigation Management : Utilizing big data, satellite info, and field sensors to provide real-time irrigation demand data to farmers, resulting in optimized water use. Regenerative Agriculture Practices : Implementation of cover crops and conservation tillage to restore water resources and soil health.

Dairy Effluent Recycling : Installing subsurface drip systems that utilize dairy manure effluent as organic fertilizer, reducing both freshwater and synthetic fertilizer demand. Irrigation Canal Lining : Lining open irrigation canals with concrete to reduce water losses from seepage and infiltration.

Example qualifying activities • Reforestation and grassland restoration • Wetland restoration, creation, or protection • Invasive species removal (e.g., Arundo removal) • Aquatic habitat restoration (e.g., floodplain reconnection and levee/berm removal) • Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) (e.g., rain gardens and bioswales) Relevant VWBA 2.

0 indicators • Increased seasonal storage Previously funded projects Wetland Restoration and Protection : Dewatering and desilting degraded lakes, filling eroded gullies in meadows, and acquiring conservation easements to protect large natural wetlands. Forest Management and Reforestation : Mechanical thinning of overgrown forests and the use of prescribed burns to reduce wildfire risk and improve groundwater infiltration.

Floodplain Reconnection : Removing levees or recontouring slopes to allow rivers to regularly inundate their historic floodplains, which recharges aquifers and creates habitat. Green Stormwater Infrastructure : Installation of rain gardens, bioswales, and planter boxes to capture and filter urban runoff before it enters sewer systems.

Google will evaluate projects on the basis of volumetric benefits (in millions of gallons per year MGY) following the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2. 0 Guidance as the industry standard. In addition to volumetric benefits, projects that support watershed health co-benefits are of interest, as well as projects that aim to scale impact beyond a single site.

Google will invite selected applicants to this RFI to provide more detailed technical proposals to be considered for funding. Google will not own any project assets or water rights; our intention is to claim the proportional volumetric water benefit (VWB) based on cost share.

Project implementers are expected to maintain and operate the project as intended to achieve the anticipated water benefits for the agreed-upon project duration, and provide a brief annual report confirming the project status and documenting project benefits. Requested funding can be used for upfront capital expenditures, operation and maintenance costs, annual reporting, and may be combined with other sources of funding.

RFI submissions due : April 30, 2026 by 5:00 p. m. PDT Request for Proposal (RFP) invitations sent : Q2 2026, subject to the volume of submissions received Technical proposals due : Within 6 weeks of RFP invitation Funding decisions issued : November 2026 Focal geography: The target watersheds in North America are shown in the map below (Figure 1).

Basin priority levels will be taken into consideration during project selection, with more funding available for higher priority basins. Projects outside of these boundaries may also be considered if they have a hydrologic interconnection to the priority watersheds (e.g., through inter-basin transfers or overlapping groundwater basins); please refer to the Resources section below for clarification.

California only: Projects in California watersheds support our replenishment target associated with office campuses and will be evaluated separately (see specific funding parameters listed below and further detailed in the FAQ ). Figure 1. Priority Locations and Watersheds.

An interactive map is available here . Eligible entities: Google will consider potential projects with any entity with the capacity to implement voluntary water replenishment projects within the focal geography.

This includes, but is not limited to water utilities and water agencies, municipal governments, water conservation districts, flood control districts, state agencies, Tribal Nations, Native-serving or -led organizations, nonprofit organizations, basin collaboratives, and technology vendors. Google will issue funding in the form of a sponsorship grant. Eligible organizations must be able to accept corporate funding.

Eligible projects must be voluntary and not required under law, permit, or settlement. This RFI will consider projects that meet all of the following parameters: Timeline : Projects must be completed and operational by 2030 at the latest, with preference given to projects online by 2028. Duration : Projects must provide VWB through 2030, at a minimum, with preference given to projects with a minimum duration of 7–10 years.

Additional funding parameters Additional funding parameters: California ≥100 MGY of quantifiable water replenished to a target watershed ~5+ MGY of quantifiable water replenished to a target watershed (Additional CA funding priorities in the FAQ ) $350,000–$6 million per project ~$100,000–$600,000 per project Applicants must submit all information via one of the RFI online forms linked below for the respective project category.

For programmatic approaches across multiple locations within a single major basin shown on the “Priority Locations and Watersheds” map, please submit a single RFI response. For programmatic approaches across multiple locations and more than one of the major basins shown on the “Priority Locations and Watersheds” map, please submit a different response for each proposed major basin.

Organizations interested in responding to this RFI are encouraged to: Review Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2. 0 for calculation methodologies. View the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.

0 Webinar Series . Explore the 2026 Google Water Stewardship Project Portfolio to see example projects. View the Project Categorization Guide for additional guidance on identifying the correct project category for submissions.

Review the Frequently Asked Questions . View the Agriculture and Nature-Based Solutions Webinar Materials . View the Infrastructure Webinar Materials .

If you have any questions, please email: Infra. water. RFI@gmail.

com for Infrastructure-related questions Ag. water. RFI@gmail.

com for Agriculture-related questions NBS. water. RFI@gmail.

com for Nature-Based Solution-related questions Program scope and objective What is the overall goal of the Google Water Stewardship program? Our objective is to replenish more water than we consume by 2030 and to improve water quality and ecosystem health. We seek partners for measurable, quantifiable volumetric benefit projects.

What are the three RFI project categories, and how do I choose the right one? Infrastructure (engineered efficiency/reuse), Agricultural (water delivery and farm-level water savings and efficiency), and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) (restoration and green infrastructure).

To choose the category that best describes the primary technology or methodology used to determine water replenishment, see the Project Categorization Guide for additional information and example projects. Is there a standardized RFI application window? Yes.

All three RFI categories are open for submissions from March 16 through April 30. Will there be another round of funding? We intend to repeat this process in the future, but specific schedules and funding parameters are yet to be determined.

What organizations are eligible to submit proposals? Any entity capable of implementing and managing voluntary water stewardship projects, including water utilities, municipal governments, nonprofits, private companies, and Tribal governments. The entity must be able to accept corporate funding.

Are projects eligible that are already in the construction phase? Funding a project that is already in the construction phase is made on a case-by-case basis. The project would not be disqualified but a determination would need to be made on whether or not Google would be able to claim the Volumetric Water Benefits (VWB) on a project that is currently under construction.

Projects that have completed the construction phase are not eligible for retroactive funding. Are projects designed to meet legal or regulatory obligations eligible? No. Projects designed solely to meet or mitigate legal/regulatory compliance obligations or tied to ongoing regulatory action are not eligible for funding.

What is the focus geography for this program? We prioritize projects in the target watersheds where Google operates. Please refer to the Interactive Focus Geographies Map for details on priority locations.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to share the Shapefiles for our priority watershed map, but below is a table listing all the priority watersheds with corresponding Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC). Please note our priority regions are often delineated not only by hydrologic boundaries but also by state lines.

We try to balance making an impact as close as possible to the areas where we operate, while also acknowledging that hydrologic interconnections can be extensive. Lower Chesapeake Bay (0208) Missouri River Basin (10) Western Lake Erie (Maumee River) (0410) Middle Tennessee-Elk (0603) St.

Francis River (080202) Missouri-Little Sioux (1023) Missouri-Nishnabotna (1024) Lower Missouri-Blackwater (1030001) Upper White River (05120201) Lower Colorado Region (15) Lower Colorado-Lake Mead (1501) Upper Sacramento (180200) Lower Sacramento (180201) Tulare-Buena Vista Lakes (180300) Santa Barbara Coastal (18060013) Why is my watershed not listed on your map?

Google has a goal of replenishing more freshwater than we consume by 2030 in the watersheds where we operate offices and data centers. This map shows Google’s priority locations and watersheds. If a watershed is not shown on the map then that area is not currently one of Google’s priority locations, and projects in that watershed do not qualify for our water replenishment program.

Is a project allowed to serve multiple water systems within the same watershed? Yes, as long as one entity will be receiving the funding, it is acceptable to implement a project in multiple water systems within the same watershed. Can projects have an experimental or research component?

This funding opportunity is specifically intended to support project implementation costs needed to secure VWB. Research or studies needed to refine the project, or complementary to the monitoring of project co-benefits should be listed as separate budget components. We will evaluate these on a case-by-case basis.

How are projects being evaluated? Google will comprehensively evaluate proposals based on project alignment with our goals, feasibility and technical merit, financial viability and cost-effectiveness, and the applicant’s capacity to execute the project. Projects that provide enough information to demonstrate they meet the criteria outlined are more likely to be selected for funding.

What are specific funding priorities for California? For California submissions, in addition to volumetric benefits, projects should demonstrate strong potential for watershed health co-benefits (e.g., improvements in biodiversity, water quality, and/or ecosystem health) in alignment with regional priorities (i.e., as identified by local, state, or federal sources).

Projects that aim to scale impact beyond the site (e.g., via collective action, public-private partnerships, innovation pilots, policy and governance solutions) are also of interest. How are volumetric benefits (replenishment) measured? All projects must calculate and report volumetric benefits (in MGY) following the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2.

0 Guidance . Outside of California, projects should provide at least 100 MGY of quantifiable benefit. In California, projects should result in at least ~5 MGY.

Can project budgets include salaries/wages of employees of the applicant organization or other administrative costs? Applicants can include salaries/wages and other administrative costs as part of the budget. Include expenses in the appropriate budget category in the budget proposal and narrative.

If there are components of a project that require contingency funding, how should that component be built into cost estimates? Include reasonable contingencies in the estimated costs. Contingency amounts should reflect project unknowns and be in line with ranges used in the industry.

What is the minimum duration required for project benefits? Projects must be operational by 2030 and provide measurable volumetric benefits for a minimum of five years from the start of operations. Infrastructure projects are expected to have a project duration of at least 10 years.

What is the total budget available for this opportunity? There is not a specific budget or number of projects that will be funded under this opportunity. Is there a minimum cost share or matching contribution for applicants?

Google does not require a minimum cost‐share or matching‐fund contribution on applicants that are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Will the funding awarded support planning, design, and/or implementation for a project? Applicants may use funding to support the implementation of a project, which could include planning and design, construction and implementation, operations and maintenance, as well as monitoring and reporting.

What is the funding range for projects in California? Several major campuses are located in the state adding to Google’s overall water consumption, albeit smaller than areas with data centers. Given the smaller consumption rate in California, projects located in the state will likely have a smaller funding range of approximately $100,000–$600,000.

What is the funding range for projects outside of California? Projects outside of California and within the list of priority basins are eligible for the full funding range of $350,000–$6 million. Award expectations and reporting When will Google inform applicants of next steps?

Google will review all RFI submissions at the end of the submission period. We will invite select applicants to submit a Technical Proposal during the Request For Proposals (RFP) phase. We aim to issue RFP invitations in Q2 2026, subject to the volume of submissions received.

Google will make funding decisions in November 2026, subject to receipt of all required information. What are the annual reporting requirements? Google will determine specific reporting requirements on a project-by-project basis.

Reporting must provide sufficient detail to enable validation of volumetric benefits during the reporting period. Annual reporting for replenishment projects would typically include yearly updates on performance and significant changes along with any documentation for measurement or metering that demonstrates that the replenishment claim is valid. What are the consequences if the VWB goal is not met every year?

Prior to project implementation, a benefit summary will be prepared by a third party for the project that includes an estimate of the project’s volumetric benefits. Following funding, we require validation, along with ongoing monitoring, that the project has been implemented as agreed upon contractually.

We also require annual reports highlighting project performance along with any documentation for measurement or metering that demonstrates the replenishment claim is valid. Google’s third-party validation partners will be engaged in the initial project review as well as annual report review and can provide guidance on monitoring and reporting expectations once a project is selected for funding.

We understand that certain elements are outside anyone’s control (e.g., precipitation and other environmental factors), which is why we are conservative in our volumetric benefit estimates prior to implementation. How do I submit a project idea? Applicants must submit project ideas via the specific Google form linked above in the How to respond section for your chosen category (Infrastructure, Agriculture, or Nature-Based Solutions).

How many projects can be submitted by a single entity? For this opportunity, there is not a formal cap on the number of projects that a single entity may submit. However, we will prioritize projects with complete submissions and location-specific information.

What should I do if I don’t have all the information needed to submit the Google Form? Applicants should make reasonable efforts to accurately submit all available project information. Initial VWB and cost estimates are acceptable as long as assumptions are clearly indicated in the submission.

Applicants may submit additional details and backup documentation if a project is invited to submit a Technical Proposal through the RFP phase. However, Google will give priority to projects that submit complete information to evaluate the project parameters. How should supporting documentation be submitted for the RFI?

You are welcome to submit additional information by sending it to the corresponding contact email address ( Infra. water. RFI@gmail.

com for infrastructure projects, NBS. water. RFI@gmail.

com for NBS projects, and Ag. water. RFI@gmail.

com for Agricultural projects). Note this RFI is not the entirety of the application process. Should your project be selected, we will invite you to respond to a formal RFP, which will require additional information.

Any backup documentation provided at this time will be helpful for the subsequent RFP, but is not required for the initial submission. Is there an option to review applications/projects with Google prior to submission? We have a very lean team and unfortunately are unable to meet with all potential interested applicants to discuss potential projects.

For the RFI we encourage potential partners to submit entries for any projects that may be eligible based on the information provided in the RFI announcement. Direct initial questions to the corresponding contact email address ( Infra. water.

RFI@gmail. com for infrastructure projects, NBS. water.

RFI@gmail. com for NBS projects, and Ag. water.

RFI@gmail. com for Agricultural projects). We will invite selected projects to submit a Technical Proposal, and they will have the opportunity to receive feedback as part of the RFP process.

Who should I contact if I have questions about a specific RFI category? Submit all inquiries regarding the Water Replenishment Projects: RFI to the corresponding contact email address ( Infra. water.

RFI@gmail. com for infrastructure projects, NBS. water.

RFI@gmail. com for NBS projects, and Ag. water.

RFI@gmail. com for Agricultural projects). Can I request an extension for the RFI submission deadline?

To ensure a timely evaluation of project submissions, we will not grant extensions to the submission period. We encourage all applicants to submit via the specific Google Form well in advance of the closing date. What can I expect if I am invited to the RFP phase?

Google will invite select projects to submit a Technical Proposal under the RFP phase. The Technical Proposal will request additional information to understand the project activities, implementing partners and roles, schedule, monitoring plan, VWB estimates, and cost estimates. We will ask partners to provide a completed Technical Proposal within six weeks of receiving an invitation.

We will subject all Technical Proposals to third-party validation to confirm alignment with VWBA 2. 0 guidance, which may require additional information or follow-up questions. Can I submit an application for additional projects not included in my original RFI submission?

Please keep applications focused on the project that was submitted via the RFI and explicitly invited to submit an application in this RFP phase. Is it acceptable to include technical reports, maps, and other supporting documentation in an appendix to the Technical Proposal? The Technical Proposal should include the requested information outlined in the provided template.

Applicants may embed maps in the document where relevant. Any additional supporting documents including technical reports may be cited in the Technical Proposal and submitted as electronic attachments via email along with the RFP submission. Is there an option to review applications/projects with Google prior to submission?

Google team members or partners will be available to answer questions from applicants invited to submit an application through the RFP process. Please reach out to the corresponding contact email address ( Infra. water.

RFI@gmail. com for infrastructure projects, NBS. water.

RFI@gmail. com for NBS projects, and Ag. water.

RFI@gmail. com for Agricultural projects) describing your inquiry, and a team member or partner will respond depending on needs. Will my proposal be kept confidential?

Google and our technical partners will review applications. All proposal materials will remain confidential. Any public announcements regarding projects selected for funding will be subject to review and approval by project partners.

Is it recommended that we receive quotes from contractors for project work to be included in the budget, or can we make our own estimates (based on prior work) and go through a bidding process following potential award? Quotes from contractors are not required for the Technical Proposal.

However, the applicants should make reasonable efforts to accurately estimate total project costs with the understanding that they will be responsible for any additional funding if the actual project costs exceed the grant award. See also question about including budget contingencies under the Project Parameters section.

Are awardees required to go through a bidding process to hire consultants and contractors to execute the project work? Or can the awardees follow their own procurement procedures for these services? Awardees can follow their own procurement procedures to execute the project work.