Water Energy Nexus Program

Goal/purpose: EGLE offers grants to water and wastewater treatment facilities in an effort to reduce energy use on site at these facilities. This program will do so by helping to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy at water and wastewater treatment facilities. This program aims to showcase energy efficiency and/or renewable energy as an affordable, reliable, adaptable, and environmentally protective solution for Michigan's energy future. One of the priorities of this program is to cultivate public-private partnerships and knowledge-sharing to expand the impact of renewable energy and/or energy efficiency projects and related best practices.

Additional applicant eligibility criteria: Any public or non-community wastewater or water facility physically located in Michigan is eligible to apply.

Project eligibility: Projects must promote energy efficiency and renewable energy at water and wastewater treatment facilities. Funding cannot be used for a project that is already started or finished; an EGLE grant agreement must be executed first.

Application process: Applicants must submit an online application. Awardees are obligated to email progress reports to the program manager, report project impacts addressing potential energy and cost savings, provide documentation of project expenditures, submit payment requests within 30 days of completing the project/activity, host an onsite visit with EGLE staff following project completion, and complete a one-year follow-up survey on continued impacts of the implemented project/activity.