The Water Research Foundation Secures $1.5M Grant from California State Water Board

(Denver, CO) – 12/9/25 -The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has been awarded a $1.5 million grant by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWB) to advance research to support implementation of water reuse in California. This multi-year grant, spanning from 2025 to 2030, aims to fund a variety of projects focused on enhancing water reuse treatment technologies and practices.

The grant will support research initiatives under five key themes: Treatment Technologies & Optimization, Monitoring & Compliance, Environmental Benefit, Workforce, Public & Political Engagement, and Planning, Implementation & System Integration. The exact number of projects to be funded will be determined following a research needs workshop scheduled for early February 2026, at the Orange County Water District headquarters.

During the workshop, participants will convene to identify and develop project concepts aligned with the specified themes, informed by a research needs survey conducted in Fall 2025. SWB is expected to finalize the list of projects to be funded by early March 2026.

“WRF is grateful to the California State Water Board for its support and collaboration in this endeavor,” says Dr. Kenan Ozekin, Chief Research Officer at WRF. “Grant funding and input from SWB staff continues to support important research on the production and use of recycled water, a key resource for diversifying local supplies and the state's long-term water resilience.”

This research grant is the third awarded to WRF by SWB since 2018. Building on the $4.5 million SWB research portfolio, the continuation of this partnership celebrates the commitment of both WRF and SWB to advancing water reuse practices that are safe, sustainable, and beneficial to the environment and communities.

For more information about the SWB Grant, please contact Julie Minton, SWB Grant Co-PI & Senior Account Manager, jminton@waterrf.org or Monica Lee-Masi, SWB Grant Co-PI & Research Manager, mlee-masi@waterrf.org.