Grants for Future-Proof and Sustainable Wastewater Disposal in North Rhine-Westphalia (ZunA NRW)
The funding program supports wastewater disposal obligors such as municipalities, public institutions, companies, and private individuals in North Rhine-Westphalia with investments in the maintenance and expansion of wastewater infrastructure. Depending on the measure, grants or low-interest loans can be applied for.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The objective of the program is to promote sustainable and climate-adapted management of wastewater and stormwater by financing investments in wastewater infrastructure. Measures for industrial, commercial, and municipal wastewater disposal, for the energy optimization of public wastewater facilities, for flood protection, as well as for adaptation to the impacts of climate change are to be supported. Research and development projects aimed at advancing wastewater technology can also be funded within the scope of the program.
Eligible expenses
- Investment costs
- Construction costs
- Technical measures
- Engineering services
Non-eligible expenses
- ongoing operational expenses
- non-cash own contributions
- loan procurement costs
- land acquisition costs
- maintenance costs
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Companies
- Individuals
- Educational Institutions
Funding requirements
- Applicants must be eligible for funding (e.g., municipalities, municipal institutions, companies, private individuals, and research institutions)
- The project must not have commenced prior to the application submission
- Additional subject-specific requirements apply depending on the funding area
Documents required for application
- Flyer
- Application form
- Project description
- Financing plan
- Proofs
- Interim report
- Final report
Evaluation criteria
- Innovative content of the measure
- Cost-effectiveness
- Contribution to water protection
Description
The program "Future-Proof and Sustainable Wastewater Disposal in NRW" (ZunA NRW) promotes investments in the maintenance and expansion of wastewater infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is aimed at entities obligated to dispose of wastewater, including municipalities, municipal institutions, companies, commercial enterprises, private individuals, and research institutions. Taking into account aspects such as water protection, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation, the initiative supports measures in the field of industrial and commercial wastewater disposal, energy optimization of public facilities, as well as concepts for flood protection and adaptations to the impacts of climate change – always with a view to a future-proof and sustainable management of water resources.
The funding program offers both grants and low-interest loans, with a funding rate of 30% to 50% granted depending on the type of measure. The financial assistance can cover, in addition to investment and construction costs, technical measures, engineering services, and other eligible expenses. Eligible projects include, for example, those aimed at reducing pollutant inputs into wastewater treatment plants, further treatment of combined and stormwater, as well as research and development projects contributing to the advancement of innovative wastewater technologies. The initiative places great emphasis on economic efficiency, innovation content, and the contribution of the project to sustainable water protection. Special attention is also given to measures that, through an integrated approach, secure the preservation of existing infrastructure while promoting forward-looking technologies in public and private facilities.
Applications must be submitted in compliance with technical requirements and must be made before the project commences. With a duration until 31.12.2028, the program provides sufficient time to realize investment projects that can reach up to €5 million in scale. All eligible actors have the opportunity to submit an application via the designated online portals of NRW.BANK and require, among other documents, a flyer, the application form, a detailed project description, and a financing plan. The program contributes to sustainably securing the water balance while simultaneously advancing adaptation to climate change – a pioneering step in managing one of the most precious resources.