EPA Selects Recipients For $25.7M In Technical Assistance Funding To Help Rural Communities Access Clean Water

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced recipients of $25.7M in grant funding for water technical assistance providers. This funding supports efforts to help small and rural communities supply safe drinking water and protective wastewater treatment.

This is EPA’s latest investment of water technical assistance funding that builds on the agency’s growing pool of technical assistance providers, including the Environmental Finance Centers. Together, these investments underscore EPA’s commitment to helping communities across America have sustainable water infrastructure.

“Across the country, too many communities struggle with water infrastructure upgrades that are essential for providing clean, safe water. EPA is committed to partnering with rural communities to help them access funding and deliver critical water services,” said EPA Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox. “Today’s latest announcement of technical assistance resources will support rural communities with identifying needs, building capacity and modernizing water infrastructure to provide clean water.”

Water systems that service relatively small populations in rural communities make up most water systems in the country. Approximately 97 percent of the nation’s 145,000 public water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people. More than 80 percent of these systems serve fewer than 500 people. Many small systems face unique challenges — including aging infrastructure and an under resourced workforce — in providing reliable drinking water and wastewater services that meet federal and state regulations. In partnership with the following selected grantees, EPA is taking steps to provide technical assistance on water infrastructure and to provide training for water systems to communities that need it most.

Rural Community Assistance Partnership is anticipated to receive:

• $14M to provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, including improving financial and managerial capacity.
• $1M to work with small publicly owned wastewater and on-site/decentralized wastewater systems to improve water quality.
• $2.7M to work with private well owners to help improve water quality.

National Rural Water Association is anticipated to receive:

• $8M to provide training and technical assistance for small public water systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, including improving financial and managerial capacity.

Recipients will offer technical assistance to small public water systems to achieve and maintain regulatory compliance to keep clean water flowing for rural communities. Technical assistance will include circuit-rider and multi-state regional technical assistance programs, training and site visits, and training or technical assistance to diagnose and trouble-shoot system operational and compliance-related problems and identify solutions.

EPA offers a range of assistance for communities to identify water challenges, identify solutions, build capacity, and develop application materials to access water infrastructure funding. EPA collaborates with states, tribes, territories, community partners, and other stakeholders to implement WaterTA efforts. The result: more communities with applications for federal funding, quality water infrastructure, and reliable water services. Communities can learn more about EPA WaterTA and indicate interest in receiving assistance by visiting EPA's Water Technical Assistance webpage.

More information on this training and technical assistance grant program.