Title
Grant Application to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for WaterSMART Water Marketing Strategy Grant (Ordinance S-43396)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to submit, accept, and if awarded, enter into an agreement for a grant through the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) (grant opportunity announcement BOR-DO-17-F014) WaterSMART Water Marketing Grant. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and the City Controller to disburse funds of up to $200,000. Grant funding will be used to advance development of the Arizona Water Exchange Platform.
Report
Summary
The Arizona Water Exchange Platform (Exchange Platform) is a collaborative project first developed by the City of Phoenix and a team of water professionals, academics, and non-profit organziations. The purpose of the Exchange Platform is to develop a technological tool to facilitate market-based transactions that will advance water resource sustainability of the City and other Colorado River water users in Central Arizona. The Exchange Platform was a finalist in the 2016 Arizona Community Foundation "Water Innovation Challenge" contest for the most innovative market-based, technological, or entrepreneurial solution to advance sustainability for Arizona communities. The Water Services Department will build on this success with funding from the BOR WaterSMART Water Marketing Strategy Grant for Fiscal Year 2017 to participate in development of a prototype technological tool and local water user advisory board to test and provide tool input.
Financial Impact
The anticipated grant from BOR will provide funding up to $200,000. No matching funds are required. Cost to the City would be in-kind resources only.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Water Services Department.