Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant FY27 RFR

The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) protects, conserves, and restores the natural resources of the Commonwealth. To fulfill this mission, Rebecca A. Tepper, Secretary of EEA, announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Drinking Water Supply Protection (DWSP) Grant Program. This grant provides financial assistance for the purchase of land in existing Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)-approved drinking water supply protection areas, or land in estimated protection areas for identified and planned future water supply wells or reservoirs to assist in protecting and conserving the quality and quantity of public drinking water supply sources in the Commonwealth. This is a reimbursement program.

This bid is open to municipalities, municipal water suppliers and to water districts and fire districts duly established by law.

EEA seeks to further the conservation of lands contributing to the protection of drinking water supplies within the Commonwealth. Projects may be for purchase of land in fee simple, a Conservation Restriction (CR) or Watershed Preservation Restriction (WPR). All applicants must specify whether their proposed acquisition will protect water supply lands for an existing well or reservoir, or a planned new well or reservoir.

Funding

Maximum reimbursement available is **60% of approved project costs up to $375,000** unless increased at the discretion of the Secretary.

Costs eligible for reimbursement include:

• Property acquisition
• Recording fees
• Title research and certification
• Legal costs incurred at closing
• Baseline Documentation Report (CR)
• Survey or plan of land

Required documents

A complete application package includes:

1. Completed application
2. Appraisal report(s)
3. Letter authorizing the project manager to submit the grant application on behalf of the municipality, district, or PWS and signed by an authorized signatory for the applicant (e.g., Chair of the Board of Selectmen, Mayor)
4. Copy of municipal or board of water commissioners, PWS or district vote authorizing the acquisition for water supply protection, and authorizing expenditure of the total project cost. If this has not been voted, include the draft language in the application.
5. Project narrative
6. Map(s) that clearly identify the parcel(s) proposed for protection [...]
7. All applicants must request comments from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) on the presence or absence of rare species listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) on or near the proposed land acquisition.
8. A draft CR or WPR if funding is requested for the purchase of a CR or WPR.

An application must be submitted **online through the EEA Grant Management System** by **Thursday March 4th, 2027**, to be considered eligible. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. EEA shall make no allowance for technical difficulties or inability of the respondents to utilize the online system.

Applicants are required to establish a user profile on the system in order to apply. Please allow a few days to establish and verify your profile and navigate the new Grant Management System.

Application review

Each application will be scored using the criteria below.

• Project quality – 76 points
• Resource management – 18 points
• Demographics – 11 points
• Drought Management Plan – up to 2 bonus points

A project Selection Committee composed of EEA and DEP staff members will review all applications, conduct site visits, and make funding recommendations.

Contract term

Contracts issued pursuant to this bid limit reimbursement to approved project costs incurred on or after the date that EEA signs the contract and on or before the end of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded.