Water Conservation Grant Program
Since 2019, the District has provided funds through our Water Conservation Grant Program to support projects that align with the District’s water conservation mission and empower communities to make changes toward a future where water is valued, and water conservation is a lifestyle.
In 2023, the District modified the water conservation grant request for applications into three categories and established an open-application cycle, thereby removing a deadline for submission. The categories include conservation measures, water efficiency, and water conservation research.
Click the tabs below to discover more information about each grant category and previously funded projects for that category:
Conservation measures projects focus on reducing water use or loss, with projects including leak detection and repair. Previously funded conservation measures projects include:
- City of League City received $49,580 for the detection of waterline leaks utilizing interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) techniques that enabled areas of interest to focus field investigation. This project also involved field acoustic leak detection and associated waterline repair. 42% of points of interest have been field inspected as of December 2020. 9.1% reduction in water loss, 92,600 gpd real water loss savings totaling $66,900 savings per year.
- Harris County Fresh Water Supply District 1A received $38,225 for the reduction of water loss through acoustic leak detection and waterline repair. Approximately 74,000 feet of water line were inspected and over 60 leaks were repaired ranging from service lines, main lines, valves, and fire hydrants. Repairs were completed in June 2023 saving approximately 3.5 MG of water that year. Additionally, 10 unauthorized connections were identified amounting to a water savings of 45,000 gallons per month.
- Harris County Municipal District No. 50 received $1,836 for the implementation of shower head replacement for residents to improve water efficiency at home. 302 EPA WaterSense-approved showerheads were distributed to residents of HCMUD 50 by the end of July 2023. The estimated water savings for 2023 was 974,562 gallons based on EPA calculations for showerhead water usage and HCMUD 50 data for residential indoor water use.
Water efficiency projects target an increased potential for reduced water use through effective water-saving technologies and/or equipment. Previously funded water efficiency projects include:
- Clear Creek Independent School District received $21,199 for the implementation of RainBird smart irrigation systems for middle and high school athletic fields. CCISD decreased water usage by 31% (2 MG) and saved $973 in 2020; a decrease of 48% (2.2 MG) and saved over $18,600 in 2021.
- Klein Independent School District received $32,500 for the implementation of RainBird smart irrigation systems for middle and high school athletic fields. KISD decreased water usage by 21% (7 MG) and saved $25,258 in 2020; a decrease of 30% (7.6 MG) in 2021 and additional savings of $45,020 in 2021.
- City of Friendswood received $49,415 for the installation of 33 large advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) meters, which transfer data to a WaterSmart interface that is accessible to all customers via a customer portal. With the implementation of AMI, the city and customers are able to view water usage in real-time and allow residents options to establish notifications for water consumption and leak detection as well as promote water conservation tools through SmarterAboutWater.
- City of Galveston received $282,048 for the installation of over 26,900 AMI meters of various sizes including a new smart water solution that expanded the analytical platform of the meters to measure pressure and quality with remote connections. The new installation also allowed the city to have a customer portal enabling residents with real-time water use, the ability to create notifications from leak detection to usage thresholds, as well as information on water conservation tools and resources through SmarterAboutWater.
- City of Webster received $60,000 for the installation of 63 AMI meters of various sizes allowed the city to gain efficiencies in water meter readings, improve information available to customers through a customer engagement portal, and promote water conservation with links to SmarterAboutWater.org.
- City of West University Place will receive up to $59,025 in grant funding to replace 19 irrigation systems with EPA WaterSense-labeled smart systems. These new systems will allow for efficient and effective irrigation throughout the city parks, buildings, and medians saving an estimated 35% of annual water use.
- Terranova West Municipal Utility District will receive up to $207,000 in funding to replace its irrigation systems with innovative technology designed to save over three million gallons of water each year. This new system will utilize reclaimed water and EPA WaterSense-labeled products to irrigate approximately 8.7 acres of land, including parks, street medians, and other green spaces more efficiently and effectively.
Water conservation research projects support evaluating water-saving technology, analyzing water use data to understand better water use habits, or other innovative approaches to enhance water conservation in Harris and Galveston counties. Research projects include developing GIS models and using tracking tools to identify indoor and outdoor water use to guide recommendations for drought contingency plans. Previously funded water conservation research projects include:
- Texas State University – Meadows Center for Water and the Environment received $35,092 for the development of a suite of water conservation program scenarios, tailored for the City of Houston, that individually and collectively indicate a positive benefit-cost ratio. The tracking tool estimated cost-benefit ratio for targeted scenarios and continued refinement remains for select commercial/institutional fixtures. Research findings were used by City of Houston and presented to City Council for updates to the Drought Contingency Plan.
- University of Houston received $24,228 for the quantification of water savings from conservation practices in Northwest Houston through land-use based water modeling in ArcGIS for the City of Houston. Land-use based GIS model was developed and calibrated using HCAD parcels, City of Houston water billing, wastewater intake flow data calibrated to wet and dry periods and distinguished between indoor and outdoor water use. Research findings were used by City of Houston and presented to City Council for updates to the Drought Contingency Plan.
Request for Applications (RFA)
The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District is seeking applications from qualified applicants for grant funding to support projects that align with the District’s water conservation mission. Projects in the scope of water efficiency, conservation measures, or research are eligible for funding.
Water Conservation Grant Program – RFA Questions
| Grantee | Project Category | Awarded Grant Funds | Total Project Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of League City | Conservation Measures | $49,580.00 | $187,000.00 |
| Harris County Fresh Water Supply District 1A | Conservation Measures | $38,225.00 | $76,450.00 |
| Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 50 | Conservation Measures | $1,837.00 | $3,673.62 |
| Texas State University- Meadows Center for Water and The Environment | Research | $35,092.00 | $78,428.00 |
| University of Houston-Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Research | $24,228.00 | $48,456.00 |
| Clear Creek ISD | Water Efficiency | $21,199.00 | $52,998.00 |
| Klein ISD | Water Efficiency | $32,500.00 | $90,382.00 |
| City of Friendswood | Water Efficiency | $49,415.00 | $98,831.00 |
| City of Galveston | Water Efficiency | $282,048.00 | $2,946,454.00 |
| City of Webster | Water Efficiency | $60,000.00 | $120,000.00 |