Water Conservation

Water Conservation & Reuse Grants

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Our Water Conservation and Reuse Grant Pilot Program provides commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential property owners with incentives to install fixture retrofits and other water efficiency technologies, such as on-site water reuse systems, totaling $50,000 or more on a single private property.

Contact waterconservation@dep.nyc.gov for any program inquiries.

Eligible Funding

Eligible Costs Conditions Grant Funding Amount
Equipment Costs WaterSense® certified fixture replacements Fixed maximum unit price; see table below
Custom Water Efficiency Retrofits $10 per gallon per day (gpd) water savings achieved, up to 100% of documented equipment costs.
Facility Water Use Survey, and Design Services Includes third-party costs for facility water use survey and any associated design services required in development of the application. Up to 20% of total equipment costs
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Available Grants

Please read the eligibility requirements thoroughly. Currently, approximately $1 million is available; however additional funding may be made available if sufficient demand is demonstrated.

Items eligible for reimbursement include: documented equipment costs, including materials and supplies; third-party costs for a facility water use survey; and third-party costs for design services as detailed in the tables below.

Fixed Maximum Unit Prices for WaterSense® Certified Fixture Replacements

Fixture WaterSense® Specification Maximum DEP Rebate Rates ($/fixture)
Residential Toilets (Tank or Flushometer) less than 1.6 gallons per flush $125
Showerheads less than 2.0 gallons per minute $45
Bathroom Sink Aerators less than 1.5 gallons per minute $3
Commercial Toilets (Flushometer) less than 1.28 gallons per flush $650
Urinals less than 0.5 gallons per flush $600

Application Process

Applications may be submitted at any time and, pending funding availability, may be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. All applications are due June 1, 2022, and additional application rounds may be announced in the future. Please email waterconservation@dep.nyc.gov prior to applying.

The following must be submitted for the application to be considered:

  1. Application Form
    Interested applicants should read through the Grant Application Guide, sample Funding Agreement and Restrictive Covenant before applying.

  2. Documentation of Current or Future Water Demand and Potential Savings
    Quantifying water use is an important step in identifying potential savings opportunities. We request that each property’s current water use be documented in the following ways:
    Water Savings Type Required Documentation
    Equipment retrofits or replacements, excluding onsite water reuse, in a single existing building Must submit a Facility Water Use Survey* for each building
    Equipment retrofits or replacements, including onsite water reuse, in an existing building Must submit a Facility Water Use Survey* for each building, and a completed On-site Water Reuse Calculator** for only those buildings with proposed onsite water reuse projects.
    An on-site water reuse system in new construction Must submit a completed On-site Water Reuse Calculator**

     

    Facility Water Use Survey*

    The Facility Water Use Survey must include:

    • General Building Information
    • Water Use Information
    • Interior Water Use
    • Exterior Water Use
    • Comprehensive List of Potential Water Saving Measures

    Visit the United State Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense® Tools for Commercial and Institutional Facilities for guidance and resources for conducting a water assessment of commercial and institutional facilities. Participants using the tools should recognize that additional documentation may be required to fulfill all the requirements. Applicants should also be aware that they may conduct the facility water use survey themselves, but if selected for a grant, we will only reimburse third-party facility water use survey costs.

    On-site Water Reuse Calculator**

  3. Work Plan
    The Project Work Plan must fully describe the scope of work, including:
    • Project Summary
    • Estimated Water Savings Potential

Water and Wastewater Rate Discounts

DEP offers a 25% water fee discount to customers who install water reuse systems that reduce the building’s water consumption by at least 25%. A 76% wastewater fee discount is also offered for properties that discharge less than 25% of their flow. View the following sections of the current Water and Wastewater Rate Schedule for more information about how to obtain and receive a water and wastewater rate discount:

  • Property Connected to the Sewage Network Also Served by a Private Wastewater Treatment Plant (Part III—Section 6)
  • Comprehensive Water Reuse (Part IV—Section 6)

Buildings with successful on-site water reuse systems are also eligible for the Comprehensive Water Reuse Program. Download the Comprehensive Water Reuse Program Application.