Funding will be available in 2025 from the Okanagan Basin Water Board for projects to improve water conservation and quality.

Applications for the OBWB's water conservation and quality improvement grant program opened on Nov. 12, with a focus on source water protection projects.

Projects that meet the OBWB's criteria and are selected will be able to receive between $3,000 to $35,000 for their projects.

Those that can apply include local governments and First Nations, irrigation districts and non-profit community organizations, as long as they're located within the Okanagan basin. 

A total of $350,000 in funding will be made available for grants in 2025 through the program. 

The focus for 2025's selection is on projects that protect source waters in the Okanagan, which includes not just drinking water but water used for agriculture, wildlife habitats and fisheries. 

鈥淪ource water pollution is a growing concern and comes primarily from human influences," said Carolina Restrepo, office and grants manager for the OBWB. "Water can be polluted by runoff from roads and other impermeable surfaces, people directly polluting reservoirs and illegal dumping in the bush, industrial activities like mining and forestry, and some agricultural practices"

Degradation of wetland environments across the region that would have historically helped with protecting water quality by cleaning and filtering water, is one of the concerns facing source water protection. 

Projects that are focused on source water protection will receive additional bonus points during the evaluation, which will be considered when selecting which projects will receive funding. 

A focus on source water protection will not guarantee selection, and there is funding for projects under other categories such as drought planning, climate change, groundwater and education. 

Since 2006, the OBWB has granted over $6.55 million to 358 projects that conserve water and/or enhance water quality in the Okanagan and provide valley-wide benefit.

Applicants are encouraged to review the application package early to ensure they meet the program requirements before the application deadline of Feb. 21, 2025, at 4 p.m.

The complete water conservation and quality grant program guide, which includes scoring criteria and other detailed information, and application forms can be found at .