PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
The Water Desalination Act of 1996 is based on the fundamental need in the United States and world-wide for additional sources of high quality water. Therefore, the primary objective of the program is to develop more cost-effective, technologically efficient, and implementable methods by which usable water can be produced from saline water or water otherwise impaired or contaminated. The two principal parts of the program are: (1) perform research on desalination technologies and related issues to advance the state of the art forward (research and studies), and (2) conduct development and demonstration activities to test technological advancements, confirm economics, and gain public acceptance (development projects).

 ELIGIBLE FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES:
1. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY;
- Water Pollution Control;
- Research, Education, Training;

 WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM:
- State;
- Local;
- Public nonprofit institution/organization;
- Other public institution/organization;
- Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments;
- Profit organization;
- Private non-profit institution/organization;
- Quasi-public non-profit organization;
- Other private institution/organization;

 WHO CAN APPLY:
- State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Local (includes State-designated Indian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Public non-profit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Other public institution/organization;
- Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments;
- Profit organization;
- Private non-profit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Quasi-public non-profit institution/organization;
- Other private institutions/organizations;