The Clean Water Fund, established by Minnesota Statute 114D.50 and part of the Minnesota Constitution, aims to protect, enhance, and restore water quality across Minnesota. It supports lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater, and drinking water sources from degradation, emphasizing that funds are to supplement, not replace, traditional funding sources for environmental protection activities.
The Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Clean Water Fund Competitive Grants Program is dedicated to supporting initiatives that contribute to the restoration, protection, and enhancement of water quality. Specifically, it funds on-the-ground projects and practices aimed at safeguarding or restoring the quality of lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater, or drinking water. The program encourages applications for projects ranging from stormwater practices, agricultural and feedlot conservation, lakeshore and stream bank stabilization, stream restoration, to subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) upgrades, as well as land treatment projects that improve drinking water sources.