Title
Apply for Water Infrastructure Finance Authority - Water Conservation Grant Fund Opportunity: Phoenix Water Conservation Corps Program Development Grant Opportunity for Fiscal Year 2023-24 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Ordinance S-49948)
Description
Request to retroactively authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for accept and, if awarded, enter into an agreement for disbursement from the state of Arizona (Federal funding origin) from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority, beginning on or about May 2023 through Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27. This is the Water Conservation Grant Fund (WIFA-WCGF) opportunity. Further request the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. Total grant funds applied for will not exceed $3 million and the City's local match will not exceed $2 million.
Report
Summary
The Water Services Department (WSD) submitted a grant application to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority for a Water Conservation Grant Fund award. This award would be used to pilot and operate a collaborative program to implement residential water conservation solutions. If awarded, WSD would procure a partner organization; ideally, a nonprofit organization which is locally-based and has a demonstrated history of successful conservation work through partnerships with diverse entities (federal, state, city, local, tribal, etc.). The program would be a collaborative effort, and WSD and the Partner would organize and operate a water conservation "corps": a team of young environmental professionals who implement water conservation solutions with Phoenix residents through voluntary educational methods.
The grant program period would have a developmental phase beginning in Summer 2023 and ending in Summer 2024.The conservation corps would begin work at the start of FY 2024-25 and the corps would operate for two years with work concluding in FY 2026-27. The deadline to utilize the WIFA-WCG funds is Dec. 31, 2026.
The WIFA-WCGF submittal deadline was May 19, 2023.
Financial Impact
The estimated total cost for the program is approximately $5 million. The maximum WIFA award is $3 million. The required local match, if awarded, is 25 percent of the award. If the maximum award is received, the minimum match is $750,000. WSD projects a water savings of 1,000 to 4,000 acre feet of water as a result of only two years of the programs operation. WSD's plans to go beyond the match, not to exceed $2 million.
Funding for the local match is available in the Water Services Department's operating budget. There is potential for additional match funding from upcoming Bureau of Reclamation grant opportunities for water conservation related work.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Ginger Spencer and the Water Services Department.