Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction grants program

Low dissolved oxygen levels in Puget Sound’s marine waters make it hard for fish, shellfish, and other marine life to thrive. A major source of excess nutrients comes from treated human waste discharged from local wastewater treatment facilities. In 2021, the Washington State Legislature provided the first round of funding to help wastewater treatment plants in the Puget Sound area address the amount of nutrients they release by increasing monitoring, improving how their facilities operate, and conducting long range planning. Fifty-five publicly owned treatment facilities across the Puget Sound region received funding during the first phase of the program.

The Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction (PSNR) Grant Program funds wastewater treatment facilities to support planning and implementation of important upgrades that reduce nutrients and protect Puget Sound. The program’s main goal is to ease the financial burden on municipalities and support long-term nutrient management across the region. In 2025, the program was folded into the Water Quality Combined Funding Program to allow facilities to use both nutrient reduction funding and Clean Water State Revolving Fund financing as their projects move through planning, design, and construction. Combining the programs helps meet the larger investments needed for these kinds of infrastructure upgrades. Eligible applicants (listed below) for funding include publicly owned domestic wastewater treatment plants.