File photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters

By Liam Verster

Water Conservation and Quality Grants

Grant applications open for Okanagan water projects

Nov 13, 2025 | 1:58 PM

The organization that aims to protect water ways in the region is offering funding for local projects.

The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) announced that it has $350,000 on offer for its 2026 Water Conservation and Quality Improvement Grant (WCQI) program.

The OBWB said the theme for this year’s program is Innovation in Water Supply, Quality, and Quantity. The agency will be providing grants to local governments, First Nations, improvement districts, and non-profits across the Okanagan or water conservation and quality projects that meet that theme.

The OBWB said projects aimed at meeting key priorities for the region will receive special consideration during the application intake process. Those priorities involve:

• The increasing frequency of blue-gree algae blooms and other pollutants
• Climate-driven shifts in hydrologic cycles (droughts and floods)
• The growing presence of contaminants such as PFAS (chemicals found in non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, stain-resistant fabrics, etc.) and microplastics
• The critical need for resilient infrastructure planning and financing to secure the region’s long-term water sustainability

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Applicants can receive between $3,000 and $30,000 through the funding stream. Details about the program eligibility and application process can be found online here.

The OBWB first launched the WCQI program in 2006. Since then, over $6.55-million has been delivered to support 358 projects to conserve water and/or enhance water quality in the Okanagan.