DENVER -- According to Kevin Price, manager of the Water Desalination Research and Development Program at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation's Denver Office, the U.S. Congress is expected to provide up to $3.3 million in federal funds for water desalination research and development in fiscal year 1999. A large portion of these funds could become available to universities and private entities as cost-shared grants and cooperative agreements, according to BuRec..
Researchers could apply for funds for projects involving: membrane process research and development; thermal process research and development; non- traditional/alternative desalination process research; water recycling and reuse; ancillary and economic improvements; and concentrate disposal.
Researchers could also use Reclamation desalting research facilities available on a cost-shared basis, including bench-scale testing facilities at the Technical Service Center in Denver, Colorado; a large mobile pilot-scale testing lab available through the Denver Office; and the Water Quality Improvement Center, a large permanent pilot-scale test facility in Yuma, Arizona.
This is the second year the Desalination Program has been funded. Last year, Congress appropriated $3.7 million in research funds. Researchers submitted more than 80 proposals in fiscal year 1998. About 19 cost-shared grants and cooperative agreements ranging in value from $50,000 to $125,000 are presently being awarded with fiscal year 1998 funds. Except for universities, researchers are required to cost share between 50 and 75 percent of the project costs.
The Water Desalination Act of 1996 authorized funding for research, spawning the Desalination Program to develop more cost-effective, technologically- efficient, and implementable-methods of desalting water.
Reclamation will notify interested parties and solicit preproposals for cost- shared grants and cooperative agreements in October. The announcement will be posted on a Reclamation website: www.usbr. gov/aamsden/index.html; and published in the Commerce Business Daily and other industry magazines. Researchers can find general information about the DesalR&D Program at www.usbr.gov/water/desal.html.
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