Details of the Nitrate Clinic Water Testing Program
Through local partners such as SWCDs and counties, the MDA offers water testing clinics to increase public awareness of nitrate contamination in rural drinking water. Results from the testing are for the private well user’s personal use. Well owners/users may remain anonymous.
Nitrate clinics are developed for homeowner education and outreach and are not designed as a scientific study. If you would like to learn more about the MDA’s work assessing private well nitrate concentrations, please see our Township Testing Program.
The MDA provides the necessary equipment to local partners who can provide free water testing at the local office or locally organized events. The local partner is responsible for their own personnel to run the clinic and recording the nitrate analysis results.
No, the appropriation explicitly states that only counties employing a CAI/CDE are eligible for this grant.
No, the appropriation explicitly states that only counties employing a CAI/CDE are eligible for this grant.
We don’t require a county board resolution, we just want to make sure anyone applying for the grant can accept the award and to avoid delays in processing the grant contract.
We don’t require a county board resolution, we just want to make sure anyone applying for the grant can accept the award and to avoid delays in processing the grant contract.
$500,000 is available, which must be divided evenly between eligible applicants, so each eligible county could receive between $5,000 and $10,000 in FY26.
$500,000 is available, which must be divided evenly between eligible applicants, so each eligible county could receive between $5,000 and $10,000 in FY26.
No, the appropriation explicitly states that only counties employing a CAI/CDE are eligible for this grant.
We don’t require a county board resolution, we just want to make sure anyone applying for the grant can accept the award and to avoid delays in processing the grant contract.
$500,000 is available, which must be divided evenly between eligible applicants, so each eligible county could receive between $5,000 and $10,000 in FY26.
No, but you will need to submit one by May 31, 2026 before receiving your reimbursement.
The appropriation says that the funding is to go to support the CAI duties and the statutes don’t specifically state treating weeds as a duty. If you have justification for purchasing herbicide (spent X hours mapping the area, have spent X hours coordinating with landowners) and the treatments are planned after the coordination and planning work has been completed, then the herbicide purchase is more likely to get approved.
It can be pretty simple. There are instructions in the online application that state “Provide a step-by-step description of how you will use the grant funds – how and when you will carry out each item or activity using these funds. Describe the specific activities, objectives, deadlines for accomplishing each activity, and responsible parties.” There are also a couple examples in the online application.
Yes, it the funds come from the recent appropriation. Even though it’s non-competitive, we still have to have an application process to make sure the grantees are accountable for the grant funds. That being said, there are several criteria spelled out in the appropriation that counties are supposed to meet, and we don’t expect everyone to have met those criteria prior to applying for the grant. Those criteria will have to be met before we reimburse the grant awards, and the Accountability and Reporting Requirements section of the RFP spells out what needs to be in the final report to meet those criteria.
Yes, grants could be extended into the next fiscal year. There will also be another round of CAI grants available for FY27.
Yes, if the county currently employs a CAI or CDE, they are eligible. Training will need to be completed before the county gets reimbursed for the grant, and we’ll have several opportunities for counties to complete the required criteria before the end of the grant cycle. There are several criteria spelled out in the appropriation that counties are supposed to meet, and we don’t expect everyone to have met those criteria prior to applying for the grant. Those criteria will have to be met before we reimburse the grant awards, and the Accountability and Reporting Requirements section of the RFP spells out what needs to be in the final report to meet those criteria.
