Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants in Michigan

The Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants (ECWAG) program in Michigan, administered by USDA Rural Development, provides grants to help rural communities prepare for, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. The program assists rural residents who have experienced a significant decline in water quality or quantity, or where such an event is imminent.

Eligible applicants include public bodies such as municipalities, counties, townships, authorities, districts, federally recognized tribes, and not-for-profit organizations. Applicants must serve rural areas or towns with a population of 10,000 or fewer and have a median household income that does not exceed the state's nonmetropolitan median household income. Applicants must also possess the legal capacity to own, operate, and maintain the proposed water system.

Eligible projects must address an emergency that threatens the availability of safe drinking water occurring within two years of the date of application. Allowable activities include repairing or replacing broken waterlines, replacing or constructing new water sources, intakes, or treatment facilities, or connecting to alternate water sources. Grants may not be used to perform routine maintenance or pay operational costs.

Applications are accepted on a continuous, rolling basis year-round. Applicants can apply online through RD Apply or by contacting the USDA Rural Development Michigan State Office for guidance, technical assistance, and submission instructions.