The Rural Water Quality Program (RWQP), now in its 18th year of operation in the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) watershed, provides financial assistance to qualifying landowners to share the cost of implementing selected best management practices that improve water quality.
“To date, farmers in the Grand River watershed have received over $16 million in grants to assist in the completion of over 5,400 projects to protect water quality on farms,” explains GRCA conservation specialist Anne Loeffler.
Grants range from 50 to 100 per cent of the project’s cost, with the balance paid by the landowner. Eligible projects include erosion control structures, cover crops, manure storages, fencing livestock from creeks, tree planting, fuel storage, well upgrades, and well plugging projects. Farmers must have completed an Environmental Farm Plan on their property to be eligible for grants. Eligible projects vary by county.
The program is largely funded by most municipalities in the watershed. The total value of all the investments in clean water projects since the program began is more than $44 million.
For more information on RWQP grants, contact the GRCA at: 519-621-2761 or ruralwater@grandriver.ca.
