Provider
Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and Aqua Pennsylvania
Application Deadline
January 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM
Summary
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) and Essential Utilities (formerly known as Aqua) are pleased to announce the third round of a new grant program aimed at improving the health of waterways that supply drinking water in Pennsylvania. The Protect Your Drinking Water program will award grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for watershed protection and education projects that address pollutants of concern to public water supplies, such as fertilizer runoff, road salts, and bacteria. In its 2024 and early 2025 rounds, the program awarded over $87,000 to eight organizations in the Chester/Ridley/Crum, East Branch of Brandywine Creek, and Neshaminy Creek Watershed areas. The funded projects have included protecting riparian buffers, planting meadows, promoting and installing green infrastructure, monitoring stream health, and providing public education and outreach programming.
The 2026 grants will not only focus on the above-noted watershed areas but will also address groundwater sources of drinking water in specific areas of Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester Counties. To confirm eligibility for this year, please review the focus area maps once the grant application opens. PEC’s Water Team will continue to administer the grant program in partnership with Essential Utilities (formerly known as Aqua), thanks to a generous donation through the company’s Essential Foundation.
Common Eligible Projects
Grants will fund projects such as green stormwater infrastructure, stream bank stabilization, agricultural best management practices, spill prevention planning, water quality monitoring, and educational programming. Outcomes could include on-the-ground projects, as well as the development and implementation of citizen, municipal and student educational programs.
More Information
Please Visit PEC’s Submittable Webpage for more information.
