Division of Boating and Waterways Offers Grants to Help Keep California’s Waterways Clean
$1.104 million available for the deployment of floating restrooms on California waterways
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications from public government agencies for the purchase and deployment of floating restrooms on California waterways with limited landside access. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the grant guidelines and submit a grant application to DBW by 5 p.m. (PST) Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022.
The Floating Restroom Grant Program is available through the Clean Vessel Act, which is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund. A total of 266 floating restrooms have been placed on California lakes and reservoirs through this grant program since 1972. About 119 restrooms are currently deployed.
“The use of floating restrooms is another way to help reduce pollution on California’s waterways,” said DBW’s Deputy Director Ramona Fernandez. “We encourage public government agencies to apply for this program. The floating restrooms are solar-powered and the holding tanks capture about 500 gallons of sewage. That’s over one million gallons of sewage kept out of our waterways each year.”
A total of $1.104 million in federal and state funding is available this year for the purchase and deployment of approximately six DBW-designed and developed ADA-compliant floating restrooms. Grants are also available to offset the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of these units through a sewage management equipment operations and maintenance grant.
To be eligible for funding, grant applicants must operate a California lake or reservoir that is open to the public. General information on the grant requirements and the online application can be found on DBW’s floating restroom grant webpage located at: dbw.parks.ca.gov/FloatingRestroomGrants.
The competitive grant applications will be scored and ranked according to need, as well as the ability to operate and maintain the floating restrooms for at least 10 years. DBW expects to announce grant recipients in spring 2023.
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