Does BABA apply to my water product?

If the project uses federal financial assistance such as SRF money, iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials must generally be produced in the U.S. unless EPA grants a waiver. EPA publishes FAQs for manufacturers.

How do utilities pay for new water technology?

Many use State Revolving Fund loans and grants, along with rates and bonds. For FY2026, Congress provided billions for the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRFs, but earmarks took a large share of regular funds.

Can a utility buy without an RFP?

Many utilities can buy through cooperative contracts such as Sourcewell or HGACBuy if state and local rules allow it, but federally funded projects still need to meet federal procurement and BABA rules.

How long does it take to sell water technology to government?

It depends on the size of the purchase and how it's bought. Small purchases under an agency's threshold, or buys through an existing cooperative contract, can move quickly. Purchases that need a formal bid or a new budget line usually take longer, often a full budget cycle.

Can KSG help us sell water technology to government?

Yes. Kensington Sales Group provides outsourced SDRs who research target agencies, reach the right program owners and purchasing contacts, and book qualified meetings for your sales team. Book a 30-minute call to talk it through.

Selling Water Technology to Government: A Vendor's Guide

Key takeaways

For FY2026, the Clean Water SRF received $2,603.0 million in IIJA supplemental funds plus $746.1 million in regular appropriations, and the Drinking Water SRF received $2,603.0 million in IIJA funds plus $410.7 million regular; IIJA also provided $3,000.0 million for lead service line replacement.
Common ways agencies buy water technology: Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, Sourcewell contract 040825-CAM (Core & Main), HGACBuy public works contracts.
Rules to plan for: Build America, Buy America (BABA), American Iron and Steel (AIS), AWIA Section 2013 risk and resilience assessments.
A contract vehicle or vendor registration makes buying easier, but it doesn't create demand. The vendors that win reach program owners before budgets and bids are set.

Who buys water technology in government

Purchases of water technology happen across federal agencies, states, counties, cities, school districts and colleges, hospitals, tribal governments, special districts and public utilities. The people you'll deal with usually include:

Municipal water and wastewater utilities
Special districts (water, sanitation, irrigation districts)
Regional water authorities
Tribal utilities
State drinking water and clean water SRF programs (funders)
Job titles: utility director/general manager, public works director, water/wastewater superintendent, plant manager, utility engineer, operations manager, metering/customer service manager, purchasing agent

The purchasing office runs the process, but the program owner who has the problem usually decides what gets bought. Reach both. See government buyer roles for how they work together.

The government water technology market

For FY2026, the Clean Water SRF received $2,603.0 million in IIJA supplemental funds plus $746.1 million in regular appropriations, and the Drinking Water SRF received $2,603.0 million in IIJA funds plus $410.7 million regular; IIJA also provided $3,000.0 million for lead service line replacement. (Congressional Research Service, IF13177, FY2026 Appropriations for EPA Water Infrastructure Programs)
In FY2026 regular appropriations, earmarks took $892.8 million (54%) of CWSRF and $715.4 million (64%) of DWSRF funds. (Congressional Research Service, IF13177)
Community water systems serving more than 3,300 people must certify risk and resilience assessments to EPA every five years; the next deadline for systems serving 3,301-49,999 people was June 30, 2026, with emergency response plans due December 31, 2026. (EPA, AWIA Section 2013: Risk and Resilience Assessments and Emergency Response Plans)

How agencies buy water technology

Small purchases under an agency's threshold can often be made with a quote or a purchase card. Larger purchases need a formal bid or an existing contract. These are the contract vehicles agencies commonly use for water technology:

Contract vehicle	What it is
Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds	EPA funds flow to states, which lend or grant to utilities for projects; SRF-funded purchases carry BABA and other federal rules.
Sourcewell contract 040825-CAM (Core & Main)	Sourcewell cooperative contract used by public agencies to buy waterworks products without their own bid.
HGACBuy public works contracts	Texas-based cooperative used nationally by local governments for public works equipment and products.

Thresholds differ by state and agency; see our state procurement thresholds. For which cooperatives cover which categories, see cooperative contracts by category.

Rules and requirements for selling water technology

Requirement	What it means for you
Build America, Buy America (BABA)	Iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials in federally funded water infrastructure projects (including SRF projects) must be made in the U.S. unless a waiver applies.
American Iron and Steel (AIS)	SRF projects have long required U.S.-made iron and steel products, and BABA now adds manufactured products and construction materials on top of that.
AWIA Section 2013 risk and resilience assessments	Water systems serving more than 3,300 people must assess risks, including cybersecurity, and update emergency plans every five years, which often drives security and monitoring purchases.

Requirements vary by agency and contract. Read each solicitation's terms, and check with the buyer when in doubt. This isn't legal advice.

Buying signals to watch

These events often mean an agency will buy water technology soon:

A utility appears on its state's SRF Intended Use Plan or project priority list
An AWIA risk assessment or emergency response plan deadline is approaching
A rate study, capital improvement plan or bond issue is approved
Meter failures, high non-revenue water, or a billing system replacement (common triggers for AMI projects)
New EPA rules (e.g. lead service line or PFAS) that require new treatment or inventories

For more, see our guide to government buying signals and the contract expirations guide.

A sales process for selling water technology

Register. Get into SAM.gov for federal work and each state or local vendor portal you'll sell into. Use our vendor registration checklist.
Pick your path to purchase. Decide which contract vehicles above fit your target buyers, and whether a reseller or partner already holds one.
Build the target list. Identify the agencies with the need, the budget and the buying authority, and the people who own the problem.
Start conversations early. Reach program owners while budgets and requirements are still being written, not after an RFP is posted.
Follow through to purchase. Help the buyer pick the method, whether a cooperative purchase, quote or formal bid. When a bid comes, use our RFP response guide.

How KSG helps you sell water technology

Kensington Sales Group runs outbound sales development for companies selling to the public sector. Our SDRs research your target agencies, find the program owners and purchasing contacts, and book meetings for your sales team across Federal, SLED, K-12 and higher ed, healthcare, tribal, special district and utility markets. We also run bilingual English and Spanish outreach across the Western Hemisphere.

For example, we ran market research for Kamstrup's North American smart water meter launch, with first-hand conversations with 1,000+ water agencies (read the case study).

See how our outsourced SDR service works.

Sources

Checked November 2, 2026.

Selling water technology to government.