RCD Project Highlights Map

Alabama State Snapshot (PDF)

Lowndes County, Alabama

Many rural homes in Lowndes County, Alabama relied on decentralized systems to handle their wastewater. As these systems aged and began to fail, contamination posed a serious health risk to the community. The county government understood that it was critical to connect these homes to the public sewer system, but limited funding and staff slowed progress. With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) provided additional capacity for Lowndes County to apply for grants and resolve issues like property line negotiations. As a result, 350 rural homes were connected to the public sewer system. View the story map to learn more! 

“It's because of Communities Unlimited that we're able to get out and be able to do this work, and it's why Communities Unlimited is our boots on the ground.… They're actually here, understanding what the problems are, understanding what the issues are.”  — Dr. Lanikque Howard, Director, Office of Community Services

Bear Creek, Alabama

The town of Bear Creek, Alabama faced business and population loss when the Illinois Central Railroad built a line that bypassed the town. Over time, this resulted in loss of revenue, which made it difficult to maintain the town’s water system. With RCD funding, CU conducted a rate analysis for the town to calculate a fair rate to charge its residents for water, as well as rates for extra services, such as meter testing and tap fees. The rate analysis helped the town maintain revenue to conduct ongoing maintenance and upkeep. Additionally, CU helped Bear Creek update its emergency response plan and risk and resilience assessment, which are required by the State of Alabama. CU coordinated information-gathering efforts between stakeholders to prepare for writing the plans and then collaborated with the town’s water operator to complete the plans.

Alaska State Snapshot (PDF)

Hooper Bay, Alaska

The town of Hooper Bay, Alaska had limited capacity to maintain its water system, making it difficult to keep up with federal and state regulatory requirements. With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the town comply with state sampling regulations by working with the town to develop and submit a site sampling plan, which serves as a guide for operators to adhere to sampling regulations. In addition, RCAC provided training sessions on requirements for monthly sampling and the importance of following the plan to protect public health. This work ensured that the manager, operator, and backup operators had the information necessary to conduct regulatory sampling and that the water system was constantly monitored for safe public use.

Metlakatla Indian Community

The Metlakatla Indian Community water system was discovered to be out of compliance, and the lack of a certified operator was identified as a significant deficiency in an Indian Health Service sanitary survey. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona provided technical assistance, including water operator certification and drought contingency planning. ITCA arranged customized preparatory training for the Metlakatla Indian Community Public Works Department (MIC-PWD) personnel and contracted a subject-matter expert to assist the MIC-PWD with the development of a drought contingency plan. These technical assistance projects supported the MIC-PWD's goals for financial viability, infrastructure stability, and operational optimization, improving the community's water system and ensuring safe drinking water for individuals, families, and the community.

Arizona State Snapshot (PDF)

Tohono O'odham Utility Authority

As it became more difficult to meet operating margins, the Tohono O’odham Utility Authority in Sells, Arizona struggled to provide the community with safe, clean water. Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) used RCD funds to help the water authority adjust its water rates to more equitably distribute costs based on use and enhance affordability. The refined usage charges also promoted water conservation efforts.

"Helping small utilities implement needed rate adjustments is not glamorous work. However, such efforts are vital to build sustainable systems that can provide clean, reliable supplies of drinking water to the rural communities they serve." — Karl Pennock, Rural Development Specialist, RCAC

Colorado River Indian Tribe

The Colorado River Indian Tribe (CRIT), located along the Colorado River on the Arizona-Colorado state border, faced pressing needs to provide safe water and wastewater services for the four tribes of the CRIT nation. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona helped CRIT connect communities previously reliant on well water to a new water system on the reservation. ITCA also supported a regional wastewater system — jointly operated by the CRIT nation and the town of Parker, Arizona. A tribal operator training and certification program was successfully implemented, which uniquely meets the tribe’s need for sustained career development opportunities in the water and wastewater field. Watch this spotlight video to learn more!

Arkansas State Snapshot (PDF)

Carthage, Arkansas

In 2019, the water well supplying Carthage, Arkansas collapsed. The town, as well as its largest employer, the Idaho Timber sawmill, needed to temporarily rely on water tanks provided by the Arkansas National Guard. Since the well collapsed, the town has struggled to obtain funding to conduct repairs. With RCD funding, the Communities Unlimited (CU) Lending Team provided financing and helped the town access emergency funding from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to purchase the necessary land and build a new well and treatment site. Additionally, with the newly developed rate structure, CU helped the town monitor its monthly income from water dues and developed a Water System Policies and Procedures document to comply with Arkansas Department of Health standards. All of this led to an increase in administrative capacity. CU continues to help the town build water resilience and supply 222 residents with clean drinking water.

California State Snapshot (PDF)

Soledad, CA

The nitrate concentrations in the Mission Union Elementary School District’s water in Soledad, California exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California, leading to a violation from the Monterey County Health Department. With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provided the district with budget and project management assistance to fix the problem. This included ordering drinking fountains, gathering contractor quotes, scheduling installation, requesting invoice reimbursements, completing point-of-use (POU) regulatory requirements with a local primacy agency, and creating written plans and reports for documentation purposes. This ensured safe drinking water for the 328 students of Mission Union.

Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe

The Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe faced significant challenges with its public water system, operated by the Lone Pine Public Utilities Department (LPPUD). A sanitation facilities survey conducted in 2018 identified several deficiencies, which prevented the LPPUD from receiving funding for much-needed infrastructure improvements. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) helped LPPUD develop a cross-connection control program, a preventative maintenance plan, an emergency response plan, and a risk resilience assessment, which were all completed between May 2021 and July 2022. The LPPUD now has the necessary plans and authorizations in place to apply for funding for infrastructure improvements. The impact of this project extends to the 360 people served by the LPPUD and the overall health and safety of the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone community.

Colorado State Snapshot (PDF)

Somerset, CO

Somerset, Colorado was heavily impacted by the shutdown of the Oxbow mine, which owned and operated the water system. The community lacked the capacity to manage a complex treatment facility with significant source water quality challenges. Over 20 stakeholders came together to assist, but communication, managerial, and financial challenges hindered solutions. With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the community agree to implement a granular activated carbon filter to remove bromide from the water. Additionally, RCAC helped Somerset conduct a financial analysis to identify issues in billing and set new rates. As a result, the system improvements were completed in December 2023.

"Thank you so much for your presence in our ongoing funding and enforcement conundrum. I feel like ever since you came on board, my understanding of timelines, action items, and everything else has gotten so much clearer. I just really wanted to express gratitude for your hand in things." — Manager, Somerset Domestic Water District

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's Public Works Department faced challenges ensuring its water systems were resilient, supported, and met regulations. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) helped the department develop an emergency response plan, risk resilience assessment, drought contingency plan, and customer service plan. ITCA also provided staff training, recommendations, and assessments to enhance operational resiliency, stakeholder support, water resource adequacy, and customer service. ITCA helped establish drought stage trigger criteria, demand reduction goals, and preparedness improvement recommendations, all of which helped the department improve its water systems and operations to better meet the needs of the community it serves.

Connecticut State Snapshot (PDF)

School Hill Water Association

The School Hill Water Association in Broad Brook, Connecticut serves 77 residents. Over the years, the water system had become untenable. Major infrastructure improvements were needed to ensure access to safe and reliable drinking water for all residents.

To undertake these improvements, the association had to search for outside funding, but its options were limited by insufficient data. Income data were only available for the entire population of Broad Brook, which had an income level too high to qualify for some loans and grants. The income level of those served by the association was much lower than that of Broad Brook, but there were no readily available data to show it. 

With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) collaborated with the association and community partners to conduct an income survey and disadvantaged criteria assessment of the households served by School Hill Water Association. This data illustrated that the income of residents served by the association was lower than the income of the general Broad Brook population. With this new data, the association was able to receive disadvantaged criteria loan terms from the Connecticut State Revolving Fund to pay for infrastructure replacements.

Delaware State Snapshot (PDF)

Ellendale, Delaware 

Residents living on the outskirts of Ellendale, Delaware had been dealing with poor water quality for decades. Many of these residents living outside of town limits obtained their water through shallow wells that drew dirty water. One resident described the water as being yellow in color, having an odd and unpleasant odor, and attracting rust. The quality of the water was so bad that residents were forced to wash their clothes at laundromats in town. 

To improve living conditions, residents founded the Ellendale Community Civic Improvement Association (ECCIA) made up of resident volunteers. ECCIA devoted an extraordinary amount of time and energy toward improving the water quality in Ellendale. With RCD funding, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP) helped ECCIA volunteers navigate the political, financial, and regulatory landscape involved with improving water quality. With SERCAP’s help, ECCIA volunteers held a referendum focused on providing residents living on the outskirts of town with a reliable and safe source of drinking water. The referendum passed, and SERCAP helped the county and EECIA ensure that all residents could connect to the clean water without having to pay any fees. Residents now can drink water straight from their faucet without fearing for their health. View the story map to learn more! 

“Without the funding, we would be lost really.… A lot of us would not be able to afford what we got done.” — Raymond White, ECCIA board member

County Glen Subdivision

SERCAP assisted a community of 160 residents living in Country Glen (CG), a subdivision of 69 homes served by decentralized wastewater systems in Bridgeville, DE. About half of these homes have on-site tanks and a central drain field owned by the homeowner’s association (HOA). With a median household income of $48,367 and annual sewer service fees of $400, residents of these lots struggled to pay the expenses as part of their HOA dues. Only 50-75% of residents paid the expenses, and this created worry that the HOA would not have enough revenue to cover necessary expenses to maintain the old and deteriorating system. Clean Water Solutions—a group of nonprofit organizations that includes SERCAP—collaborated to assume ownership of the system. One of the nonprofits, Diamond State Sustainability (DSSC), assumed ownership on June 18, 2019. As a result, the HOA has lowered its dues for 37 homes and repaved the entire subdivision’s roads without borrowing any additional funds. SERCAP continues to assist the HOA with redrafting its by-laws and subdivision rules.

"Without SERCAP we wouldn’t have even known about Clean Water Solutions and would still be trying to collect overdue payments." — Robert Muhlbauer, former HOA Board Member

There is no active RCD project in the District of Columbia.

Florida State Snapshot (PDF)

Paxton, Florida

Paxton, Florida, a small town tucked into the northwestern corner of the state, is home to 644 people. Paxton’s water system is antiquated and deteriorating. The water well, built in 1971, has never been updated and is beginning to show signs of failure. Additionally, most residents still have touch-reach water meters in their homes, meaning that water system staff must enter living spaces to manually read the meters. Updating the water system is costly and labor intensive. Initial estimates projected that the updates would cost about $822,050, which is money that the town did not have. With RCD funding, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP) helped the town build the financial capacity required to take on this project by assisting town officials with refinancing an existing USDA loan and signing an additional loan agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Funding support from these loans will allow the town to completely upgrade its water entire system.

Georgia State Snapshot (PDF)

Talbotton Wastewater Treatment Plant

The Wastewater Treatment Plant in Talbotton, Georgia serves 970 residents. Initially built in the 1970s with cutting-edge technology, the technology has become outdated. The town has faced economic challenges, and there has not been funding available to address the declining infrastructure. These conditions have exacerbated public health risks, as raw sewage spills are frequent. With RCD funding, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP)  dispatched staff to assist the town in applying for loans from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority’s 2023 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). With SERCAP’s help, the town was awarded a $4 million loan to conduct critical infrastructure improvements. These improvements will reduce public health risks associated with exposure to raw sewage.

Leary, Georgia

In October 2018, Hurricane Michael overwhelmed the town of Leary, Georgia’s wastewater collection system with heavy inflow and infiltration. This had lasting impacts, and the community struggled with ongoing problems and capacity issues at the treatment plant. With RCD funding, SERCAP helped Leary obtain a $670,000 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to finance the rehabilitation and replacement of the aging gravity sewer system. SERCAP continues to help Leary mitigate inflow and infiltration by updating the community’s emergency response plan and conducting a risk and resiliency assessment. As a result, the community can maintain safe and resilient water and wastewater systems, even during severe weather and emergencies.

Hawaii State Snapshot (PDF)

Kawaihae Village, Hawaii

The Kawaihae Village Board began experiencing water main breaks due to system pressure, and the board members could not pinpoint why the breaks were happening. With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the Kawaihae Village Board identify the reasons for system pressure issues. RCAC examined the water meters and verified that all had operable pressure regulator valves. Additional inspections by RCAC revealed that the problems were due to the water system’s age and infrastructure. Correctly identifying the problem allowed the town to move forward with an appropriate solution that included fixing the system pressure issues to serve the town’s 100 residents.

Idaho State Snapshot (PDF)

Moose Draw, Idaho

Moose Draw Association, Inc. — the water utility for the small town of Moose Draw, Idaho — was placed under a compliance agreement schedule when the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) became aware that Moose Draw’s 13 connections were supplied by an unregulated evaporative lagoon. Upgrading and securing a discharge permit to remedy the situation was cost prohibitive. 

With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the community secure a planning grant and a $750,000 loan with $637,000 in principal forgiveness, prepare applications, secure an engineer and contract operator, and work on board functions. With RCAC’s assistance, the community is also building capacity by working with new partners, such as Idaho Rural Water for operations and bookkeeping support. Receiving this support for funding system upgrades and increased capacity for long-term system management will allow Moose Draw residents to continue to have access to safe and reliable water and wastewater.

Illinois State Snapshot (PDF)

Brookport, Illinois

Leaders in the city of Brookport, Illinois knew that the community’s water and wastewater systems needed improvements but had challenges identifying specific problems and solutions. With RCD funds, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) helped Brookport conduct an analysis of the current water and sewer rates and create a purchase agreement with a neighboring community to be able to buy water in emergency situations. GLCAP also helped Brookport secure additional funding and provided training for water operators so that the city was prepared to address additional issues as they arose.

Saunemin, Illinois

The village of Saunemin, Illinois had aging wastewater infrastructure that was creating health concerns for its 404 residents. Once the village decided that it was imperative to construct a wastewater treatment plant, it struggled to determine the best approach for designing a system. With RCD funding, GLCAP staff members presented the community with several potential solutions and reached out to several companies to investigate the possibility of implementing a decentralized water system. GLCAP helped the community find an engineer for the project, informed the village of funding opportunities from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA’s) Unsewered Community Funding program, and assisted with applying for these grant funds. As a result, Saunemin was awarded a $30,000 planning grant from IEPA to determine the feasibility and type of treatment needed, with hopes of moving toward construction of a wastewater treatment plant. GLCAP continues to assist the village with obtaining necessary construction funding and progressing the project through development.

Indiana State Snapshot (PDF)

Van Bibber Lake Conservancy District

The inefficiencies of the outdated water and wastewater systems supplying the Van Bibber Lake Conservancy District (VBLCD), located in rural Putnam County, Indiana, were causing significant strain on the district’s finances. With RCD funding, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) helped VBLCD identify and prioritize necessary repairs, as well as seek grant funding for an engineering study which would offer structural repair, replacement, and upgrade alternatives. GLCAP also provided VBLCD with financial and technical training and assistance to ensure they remained in compliance with state regulations.

"We have fewer opportunities to receive training and assistance we need. GLCAP filled that gap and helped us." — Barbera Johnson, Former Office Manager of VBLCD

Iowa State Snapshot (PDF)

Stockport, Iowa

The City Council in Stockport, Iowa had been purchasing water from a nearby district to provide clean drinking water to the town’s 296 residents. However, when the cost to purchase the water exceeded available funds, the city council had to look for another source. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the city council take steps toward finding an additional source for quality drinking water and increasing revenue to purchase the water. First, MAP helped the town replace old, outdated meters and create a bill collection system, in conjunction with calculating new, reasonable rates. MAP provided best practices information about establishing dues collection procedures and payment due dates. Lastly, MAP helped the council create a budget to help them repair and maintain their own water distribution system. With MAP’s assistance, the town has taken steps toward being able to continue to purchase quality water for its residents, while also repairing its own infrastructure for the future.

Kansas State Snapshot (PDF)

Coolidge, Kansas

Coolidge, Kansas utilized a lagoon treatment system for wastewater to serve the town’s 95 residents. The lagoon was located in a floodplain, which caused waste from the lagoon to seep into the groundwater that was the source of drinking water for the town. Due to the town’s small size, it did not have the financial capacity to evaluate and fix the problem on its own. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the community secure a planning grant from Rural Development (RD) to evaluate the problem and determine appropriate next steps. The evaluation concluded that the lagoon needed to be completely relocated to protect the drinking water source. MAP helped the town complete various applications, and as a result, the town has successfully secured the required funding to relocate the lagoon, thereby preventing pollution of the drinking water and protecting the health of the community.

"An organization to utilize like MAP is a tremendous asset, and an absolute necessity! Our ability to operate, comply regulatorily, and ensure that our community sustains a healthy environment, is more dependent on organizations like MAP with each passing day." — Lori Lennen, Coolidge Mayor

Miami and Johnston Counties, Kansas

An initial emergency response plan (ERP) was completed inefficiently and redundantly, making it hard for personnel from Miami County and Johnson County, Kansas to use and update. With RCD funding, MAP worked with staff to develop an ERP that is more user-friendly and specific to the district’s needs. MAP also developed instructions on how to use the ERP. Now, staff are able to update the ERP and keep it current, which allows the system to be ready to operate under emergency conditions and also keeps them in compliance with America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018.

Kentucky State Snapshot (PDF)

Bacon Creek Watershed

High levels of drinking water contaminants, including E. coli caused by livestock feeding operations, pesticides, and fertilizers, were discovered in the Bacon Creek Watershed. This contamination affected the drinking water of several communities in the watershed including Upton, Hammonville, and Magnolia. 

With RCD funding, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) helped the communities apply for funding from the Kentucky Division of Water (KDW) to mitigate the contamination. The funding from the KDW enabled septic system pump outs, inspections, and repairs to reduce contamination in the public wastewater systems. Then, GLCAP helped the communities access U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 319 Nonpoint Source funds to provide source water protection training to residents in the area. According to the EPA, source water protection includes a wide variety of actions and activities aimed at safeguarding, maintaining, or improving the quality, quantity, or both of sources of drinking water and their contributing areas. By providing water protection training to residents, GLCAP helped equip them with the tools and skills they needed to promptly address any threats to the water system.

Louisiana State Snapshot (PDF)

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Arsenic levels in the drinking water for Arnaudville, Louisiana have occasionally exceeded allowable limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), posing significant health risks for residents. With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) helped United Water Systems, Inc. (UWS) obtain funding to update the filtration system and conduct other upgrades to the water system. CU worked with UWS to complete funding applications by helping UWS officials gather information and organize documentation. CU also conducted a technical managerial financial (TMF) assessment to identify areas in which to build UWS’ capacity. CU continues to help UWS maintain compliance and provide clean drinking water for 3,640 Arnaudville residents.

Maine State Snapshot (PDF)

Caribou Utilities District 

The Caribou Utilities District (CUD) in Caribou, Maine has been providing drinking water to residents since it was established in 1889. CUD acquired another water system in 1989 but has had to rely on faded paper documentation and antiquated, unusable maps to run their expanded distribution system. This, along with financial loss, limited staff, and freezing conditions, led to difficulties in system operations. With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) helped CUD develop a comprehensive picture of the water system through GIS technology. Over a five-day period, nearly 1,700 points of curb stops, gate valves, hydrants, and blowoff valves were located and documented through location photos and addresses. RSOL used the data to create an interactive map of CUD’s system. CUD now uses the GIS product to analyze inventories, streamline repairs, and update critical information about the system.

Maryland State Snapshot (PDF)

Eagle Harbor, Maryland

Eagle Harbor, Maryland is a small town with only 63 residents and no community water or sewer system. Residents receive water and sewer services through private wells and septic systems, several of which show signs of failure. With RCD funding, Southeast Rural Community Action Partnership (SERCAP) collaborated with town officials and residents to discuss options for creating a safer wastewater system for residents. The residents decided to pursue the development of a community wastewater system. SERCAP is currently helping the town apply for funding to finance its construction. Development of a wastewater system will ensure that residents have access to sanitary and reliable sewer services. Additionally, such a system could draw new permanent residents and tourists to the area, creating conditions for economic growth.

Rock Hall, Maryland

The community of Rock Hall, Maryland was using 20-year-old water meters that were inaccurately recording water use. Town staff spent an inordinate amount of time manually reading meters and transferring usage to the billing system on a quarterly basis. With RCD funding, SERCAP guided Rock Hall through writing the request for proposal for replacing the water meters, approving an engineering firm with the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), operating software and billing programs, and securing construction contractors. SERCAP’s project management assistance with the grant and loan process along with the installation of the water meters and associated software and billing program allowed Rock Hall to ensure accurate revenues, provide fiscal responsibility to constituents, and make the utility more sustainable in the long term.

"Without the assistance of Vikki [SERCAP], the town would not have been able to efficiently and successfully manage this project from securing the loan/grants to construction.” — Bob Resele, Rock Hall Town Manager

Massachusetts State Snapshot (PDF)

Montague, Massachusetts

Montague, Massachusetts is a riverside town with a community wastewater treatment facility that serves 5,500 residents. The wastewater collection system was run by the Montague Highway Department, and due to outdated maps and data, there was not a good inventory of the wastewater infrastructure. Additionally, there were no plans in place detailing how to maintain and use the data the town did have. 

Using RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) dispatched staff to the site to gather data on the sewer and storm drain systems by cataloging various crucial system elements including storm and sewer manholes, pump stations, and culverts. RSOL helped the town build a GIS database containing the intricate underground construction and connections within the sewer and stormwater systems. 

The data collection process and investigative fieldwork uncovered deficiencies in the current system. In response to these findings, the town erected an independent Sewer Collection System Department. The department now uses GIS tools to conduct daily operations, inspections, and reporting. The new system has greatly improved regulatory compliance and the town’s ability to serve residents.

Michigan State Snapshot (PDF)

Cheboygan, Michigan

The city of Cheboygan, Michigan’s water and sewer infrastructure was over 100 years old. With RCD funding, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) helped the city obtain funds to pay for infrastructure replacements. These replacements included sections of an old water main, a 400,000-gallon elevated storage tank, standby power at several wells, and improvements to chlorine equipment, electrical systems and more. GLCAP gave the city the increased capacity it needed to obtain the funding to improve its old water and wastewater systems. As a result of GLCAP’s technical assistance, the city now has access to safer water and wastewater systems and can better support its residents’ health.

Minnesota State Snapshot (PDF)

Bricelyn, Minnesota

In Bricelyn, Minnesota, 365 residents that utilized the town’s wastewater system experienced sewer backups caused by inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency inspected the wastewater system and confirmed that the system required repairs. 

With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) worked with the community’s wastewater operator to develop an I&I plan, hire a wastewater company to investigate and repairs issues causing the inflow and infiltration issues, and develop a map of the I&I plan to continue to track the pipe repair process. As a result of these technical assistance efforts, the town was able to improve the wastewater system. Additionally, the town was able to identify, track, and resolve many of the I&I issues moving forward and work with the wastewater company to investigate underlying issues.

Mississippi State Snapshot (PDF)

Magnolia, Mississippi

Failing septic systems in Magnolia, Mississippi posed a serious health risk to residents as raw sewage backflowed into yards and streets. With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) helped the town secure funding to update the older wastewater systems. CU provided additional capacity to analyze the financial feasibility of potential solutions. With the support of CU, Magnolia connected 34 homes to its public sanitary sewer system and drastically improved the quality of life for all residents. Watch the video to learn more!

“Without the support from Communities Unlimited we would still be fighting for resources. Communities Unlimited helped us, bringing a voice to the voiceless.” — Anthony Witherspoon, mayor of Magnolia, Mississippi

Beulah, Mississippi

Beulah, Mississippi maintains a water and wastewater system for 416 people. The town received loans from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support the water and wastewater systems but was struggling to repay them. CU collaborated with the USDA Special Assets Unit to help the town restart payments. To begin, CU collaborated with town officials to organize all financial documents. After analyzing the financial documents, CU sent financial information to USDA that allowed the agency to re-amortize the loan. Then, CU completed a rate analysis to demonstrate the feasibility of a rate increase. The town’s board approved a rate increase that would ensure financial sustainability. With the help from CU, the town expects that the loan will be paid off sooner than expected.

Missouri State Snapshot (PDF)

Pierce City, Missouri 

Pierce City, Missouri experienced a devastating EF3 tornado that destroyed the town’s water tower and well. After the disaster, as the town began to repair the damage, they ran out of funding to finish the necessary repairs. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the town plan for the additional repairs by creating materials for public outreach, contracting engineering services, and securing funding. With funding for the project secured and engineers in place, MAP provided ongoing monitoring and community outreach as the water system was repaired. Now, the water system is being rebuilt even better than it was before the tornado, ensuring that residents have access to clean drinking water and a functioning wastewater system.

Montana State Snapshot (PDF)

Great Falls, Montana

Residents of the Trailer Terrace Mobile Home Park near Great Falls, Montana were experiencing high levels of contamination in the water supply and weakened sewer infrastructure. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) staff worked with a group in the community to create a water and sewer district. MAP trained community members in the formation and operation of utility districts, worked with the newly formed district board to draft its bylaws and ordinances, and assisted in the hiring of a new district operator. As the project evolved, MAP continued to help address policy issues, facilitate communication between those involved in the project, and monitor the progress of each phase of infrastructure construction. The formation of the district increased the managerial capacity of the community, enabling residents to resolve environmental and public health issues.

Northern Cheyenne Utilities Commission

The Northern Cheyenne Utilities Commission (NCUC) was out of compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Clean Water Act because its wastewater treatment facility was discharging improperly treated wastewater into a creek. In addition, sanitary surveys revealed that the commission lacked certified operators and standard operating procedures. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) provided technical assistance to the NCUC by developing a four-volume operations and maintenance manual, an initial rates study, a comprehensive risk assessment, an emergency response plan, a workforce development plan, and various standardized operating procedures.

Lavina, Montana

MAP helped the town of Lavina, MT, build operational capacity to maintain the wastewater system that serves 187 residents. There were no certified operators for the Lavina wastewater system, resulting in a lack of regular maintenance. The wastewater system began to deteriorate, and lift station pumps failed, vegetation became overgrown, and odor from the lagoons was constantly present throughout the town.

To alleviate these problems, MAP used RCD funds to provide the town with operator training, and Lavina gained two certified operators. The operators learned how to conduct inflow and infiltration tasks, sampling and monitoring, and manhole maintenance, which made the system more operational.

MAP helped the operators develop an operation and maintenance plan to organize regular maintenance of the wastewater system and prevent future issues from arising. Due to MAP’s assistance, the Town of Lavina is better prepared to complete operator tasks pertaining to sampling, reporting, monitoring, and other duties for the wastewater system.

Nebraska State Snapshot (PDF)

Elwood, NE

The town of Elwood, Nebraska’s water system was unmetered, and residents were charged a flat rate for their water instead of being charged based on usage. This led to excessive water use, which resulted in high amounts of water loss and, in turn, a loss of revenue for the water system. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the town collect the revenue it needed to maintain the water system by training officials on the importance of regulating water and by adding water meters to the system. The town also enacted a usage-based water rate that will be phased in over a two-year period. Town leadership expects all system users to have meters by 2025, which will ensure fair water charges and provide income that will contribute to funding reserves for future infrastructure projects.

Omaha Tribal Utilities Department

In 2018, Omaha Tribal Utilities Department (OTUD) staff members participated in a Tribal Utility Tune-Up Workshop conducted by the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA). At this workshop, participants identified three areas of improvement to focus on, which included: sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and leadership development. Since the workshop, ITCA has worked with OTUD to improve utility operations. With RCD funding, ITCA completed three technical assistance projects to make the identified improvements. First, it chose a director for OTU to oversee operations. Second, it developed a Water Rates Awareness Brochure with the goal of improving public understanding and openness of the OTU use of water utility rates. Finally, it contracted a subject-matter expert to perform a water loss control study, which is a prelude to developing a water loss control program. The purpose of these projects is to improve public health, community sustainability, and the capacity of tribal water utilities and water utility personnel.

Nevada State Snapshot (PDF)

Paradise Valley, Nevada

When Paradise Valley, Nevada developed a new community center to address the need for after-school activities for local youth, the addition of a kitchen large enough to support community events significantly increased water use and placed a burden on the very small water system. Once the new, larger community center was connected to the water system, the system could not support the water need, and the kitchen was rendered unusable until operations and procedures could be updated. 

With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the community develop new operations and maintenance plans, identify potential cross-connection risks and create cross-connection-control policies, and update its emergency response plans. By documenting standard operating procedures, operators now know how to ensure the system can support the community in times of increased water demand, such as when an event is taking place at the community center. This allowed the community center to continue serving Paradise Valley residents, particularly its youth.

New Hampshire State Snapshot (PDF)

Rock Rimmon Cooperative

Low-income manufactured home communities often lack the capacity to keep water system plans and procedures up to date. The Rock Rimmon Cooperative, a modular home park in Danville, New Hampshire, found its water system plans and procedures as well as its asset management plan out of date. With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) conducted data collection and a detailed asset inventory to obtain information needed to update the plan. Additionally, RSOL performed analyses to develop assessments of asset conditions, estimations of expected useful life, and evaluations of replacement costs. With the needed information compiled, RSOL collaborated with water system officials to develop a complete, accurate, and updated asset management plan. This new plan will enable the cooperative to effectively plan the maintenance of their system.

Town Line Village

Town Line Village, in Holderness, New Hampshire, struggled with chronic leaks in its water distribution system and failing leach fields. This put the community at risk of raw sewage backing up into homes and endangering the health of its residents. The needed infrastructure improvements were too expensive for the town. With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) completed an income survey to document the community’s income status and worked with an engineer to identify the infrastructure needs. To secure funding for the improvements, RSOL provided technical assistance for submitting applications and helped the community secure $2.5 million in funding from multiple grant programs. With funding secured, this community will soon have a new, reliable water system that will provide safe drinking water and a new wastewater system that will ensure safe and sanitary wastewater treatment for all residents. RSOL continues to work with Town Line Village to develop the documents and tools needed for the community’s water and wastewater sustainability.

New Jersey State Snapshot (PDF)

Stillwater Water District

The Stillwater Water District in New Jersey’s Paulinskill Lake Community’s water system was originally designed for seasonal use and faced new challenges as the homes became year-round residences. The system was staffed by homeowner volunteers with limited water management experience. With RCD funding, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) provided training and consultation to increase staff’s managerial and financial capacity. This enabled the community to pay off two loans and bring most of the delinquent accounts into good standing. However, the community still struggled with water quality, operational efficacy, and communication between operations staff and management. RSOL helped Stillwater get accepted into the USDA Loan Program and Community of Engineering Corps, which provided free engineering services. Additionally, RSOL helped hire an operator who coordinated with the management staff to help them plan for the future. Stillwater is now poised to make major improvements and ensure the system can meet future needs of this small, isolated community.

Manufactured Home Communities Statewide

Multiple manufactured home communities in New Jersey found their water system plans and procedures were not updated with the most recent regulations. Their lead and copper sampling plans became outdated, resulting in noncompliance with regulations set by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) helped these communities evaluate their lead and copper sampling plans and update them to ensure they meet NJDEP standards. Upon completion of the updated plans, these communities will be in compliance with NJDEP requirements, offering assurance of access to drinking water that is free from contamination by lead or copper.

New Mexico State Snapshot (PDF)

Canjilon, NM

Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the community of Canjilon, NM, secure funding to replace its aging water supply system. The Canjilon Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA) water supply system, which provides water to 174 connections through a multiple-line distribution system, was established in 1961 and thus was in need of replacement.

The cost to replace and relocate three of eight phases of the antiquated distribution system was $550,050, a monumental amount for such a small system. The community managed to secure $400,784 in state and local funds but was left with a funding shortfall of $149,266. RCAC helped the Canjilon MDWCA board appeal to State Senator Leo Jaramillo and State Representative Susan Herrera to secure funding from the state. This collaboration allowed Canjilon to leverage federal grants to fill the gap in funds and complete phases one through three of the project. However, the successes did not stop there—Canjilon also secured an additional $940,500 from the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to fund the remaining phases of the project.

“Without RCAC we would not have been able to develop the presentation and secure the match funding." — Albert Martinez, Operator

Mora County, New Mexico

Nearly every small water company in Mora County, New Mexico was out of compliance. Underlying issues included aging facilities, lack of managerial capacity, and lack of funding and experience needed to ensure compliance. With RCD funding, RCAC helped bridge the gap for these communities by bringing these individual water companies together under the Mora County Water Alliance. RCAC helped the community address regulatory compliance issues, navigate the funding process, and build capacity. This allowed the alliance to continue to provide safe drinking water to their communities. Watch the video to learn more!

“RCAC is critical to helping us meet the challenges of those water systems because they bring the knowledge. They have the environmental skills to help us with the technical assistance that we need.” — Anita Laran, executive director & collaborative visions secretary, Mora County Water Alliance

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's Public Works Department faced challenges ensuring its water systems were resilient, supported, and met regulations. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) helped the department develop an emergency response plan, risk resilience assessment, drought contingency plan, and customer service plan. ITCA also provided staff training, recommendations, and assessments to enhance operational resiliency, stakeholder support, water resource adequacy, and customer service. ITCA helped establish drought stage trigger criteria, demand reduction goals, and preparedness improvement recommendations, all of which helped the department improve its water systems and operations to better meet the needs of the community it serves.

New York State Snapshot (PDF)

Andover, New York

The water system in Andover, New York provides 1,000 residents with drinking water. However, the water supply was recently found to be potentially contaminated. Town officials decided that this problem must be addressed by either installing treatment measures for the water source or establishing additional well water sources. Either solution would be costly to implement, so the town had to begin looking for additional funding sources. 

With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) helped facilitate the procurement of funding to address this issue. RSOL provided multifaceted support to the town, including developing grant applications and conducting an income survey that meticulously documented the community's eligibility for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. 

With RSOL’s help, the town secured over $4 million in funding, which covers the full cost of the project. Andover can move forward with conducting the essential improvements to the water infrastructure, which will safeguard public health and fortify the community's water supply for years to come.

Portville, New York

RSOL assisted The Village of Portville, NY, with applying for grants to fund its water and wastewater infrastructure improvements. RSOL provided technical assistance to a community of 1,050 people with a median household income of $39,663. The Village needed an estimated $12 million to improve its wastewater system to achieve compliance and provide sustainable service, as well as $5.5 million for a comprehensive water system upgrade. The Village was eligible for multiple low-interest loan and grant programs, but it did not have the capacity to assemble and create the documentation required to complete the funding applications.

RSOL worked with the Village to research and assemble information and documents to complete each task required for the applications. RSOL collaborated with community partners to review and refine usage records, assemble financial and assessment data, research status of properties, apply for exclusion of sewer debt, and fill out and submit the application forms. This assistance resulted in securing an $11 million loan and over $6 million in grant funding to complete the system upgrades and provide safe water and wastewater for this low-income community.

“Without the technical assistance of RCAP, our Village would be completely lost in our search for much needed sewer and water infrastructure funding. RCAP's value to smaller and rural localities cannot be understated…” — Dr. Anthony Evans, Mayor

North Carolina State Snapshot (PDF)

Bryson City, North Carolina

Located in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, the town of Bryson City enchants tourists with the promise of outdoor adventure and peaceful woodlands. The Nantahala Outdoor Center Water System was constructed to support tourism in the area. However, a recent surge in permanent residents exerted pressure on the compact water system, which was originally designed for a smaller population. With RCD funding, Southeast Rural Community Action Partnership (SERCAP) dispatched staff to the site to collaborate with system operators in determining strategies for enhancing the system's capacity. SERCAP staff performed supply tank and well inspections and ultimately determined the need to build additional supply tanks and update the existing wells. SERCAP staff continue to work with the system operators to ensure that these changes are made. Once this project is complete, the water system will be able to support the growing population.

Godwin, North Carolina

Some residents on the outskirts of Godwin, a small town with a population of 139 people in Cumberland County, found contaminants including E. coli in their residential wells. A local church in Godwin also dealt with water quality issues for years. These issues required church members to bring bottled water for serving and cooking at events, thus limiting gathering at this community hub. With RCD funding, SERCAP identified funding options for Godwin and helped the town conduct the required income survey and select an engineering firm for the project. Due to Godwin’s environmental issues and median household income of only $18,332, USDA awarded the town a grant for the project. The engineering firm is working to bid on this project to improve water quality and access.

North Dakota State Snapshot (PDF)

Mercer, North Dakota

The city of Mercer, North Dakota needed additional support with water operator certifications, emergency planning, financial reports, and bookkeeping. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) built municipal governance capacity through training and helping carry out tasks such as water sampling, measuring chlorine levels, handling paperwork, preparing the annual budget, and fulfilling the required financial reporting for USDA Rural Development (RD). MAP also helped the city develop an emergency response plan and vulnerability assessment, equipping staff to promptly address any potential threats to the water system. Furthermore, the city administration now possesses the capability to generate financial reports and reconcile bank accounts.

Fort Berthold Rural Water System

The Fort Berthold Reservation communities of Four Bears Village, Mandaree, Twin Buttes, and White Shield, North Dakota share the Fort Berthold Rural Water (FBRW) system. The system consists of four water treatment plants that all use a nearby lake for source water. Emergency response planning is crucial, as the source water from Lake Sakakawea is at risk for contamination from oil production activities. Past oil spills have contaminated streams and rivers that feed into the lake. With RCD funding, Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) conducted vulnerability assessments on each treatment plant to identify dangers that should be accounted for in an emergency response plan (ERP). MAP then coordinated an effort between stakeholders to collect information, which was used to write ERPs for each treatment plant. The plans are now on file in electronic and physical form at each treatment plant, which allows the operators to access the documents in case of an emergency.

Ohio State Snapshot (PDF)

New Boston, Ohio

Pollutants in the Ohio River caused by combined sewer overflow plagued the Village of New Boston, Ohio, putting the community out of compliance with federal environmental regulation and ultimately impacting the health of residents. Combined sewer overflow describes when storm water and wastewater are combined into one system rather than two separate systems. With RCD funds, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) conducted a feasibility study of what the village should do to address the issue. Secondly, GLCAP assisted the community with obtaining funds to install a new sewer system. As a result of GLCAP’s technical assistance, the overflows have been reduced by at least 80%. GLCAP helped the community decrease the inflow of excess water into the sewer system, remove combined sewer overflow violations and work toward EPA compliance, and engage in negotiations to obtain principal forgiveness and low interest loans to manage fines associated with non-compliance. Watch the video to learn more!

“I think what the Rural Community Development funds really do is allow communities like New Boston to have hope. It gives these communities the ability to stand on their own two feet. Without the Rural Community Development program, there is no way that village could have been able to do what they’ve done.” —Deb Martin, community development director, GLCAP

Dexter City, Ohio

The village of Dexter City, a small rural community of 129 in southern Noble County, OH, purchases drinking water from a local water district and uses often-failing private household sewage treatment systems (HHSTs) for wastewater treatment. The Noble County Health Department reported in 2017 that the majority of these HHSTs are over 50 years old and have a failure rate of over 30 percent. In some cases, the HHSTs drain directly into a stormwater drain, discharging raw or only partially treated sewage into the West Fork of Duck Creek.

The village hired an engineering firm in 2017 to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a new wastewater collection and treatment system, but the selected solution of a centralized collection and treatment system would cost an estimated $3 million, a prohibitive cost for the small community with a median household income of $33,393.

In March of 2018, GLCAP assisted Dexter City with project planning and seeking out funding assistance. GLCAP helped identify and leverage funds, establish a sewer planning fee to obtain funding, and host public meetings about the project throughout 2019. Funding was secured in 2019, and construction began in February 2020. The project resulted in improved local water quality, public health, and property value.

Oklahoma State Snapshot (PDF)

Maysville, Oklahoma

The Maysville Water Authority in Maysville, Oklahoma supplies drinking water for a population of 1,351, and needed critical upgrades to make clean drinking water more accessible in the town. To fund the project, the Maysville Water Authority applied for a loan through the United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) program and needed to comply with the USDA-RD Letter of Conditions (LOC). The LOC required the authority to develop a conflict-of-interest policy, a risk and resilience assessment, and an emergency response plan. With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) helped the authority draft these documents in order to meet the requirements and receive the loan. CU is also coordinating with the authority to develop a multi-year budget to ensure that enough money is available to complete the project and repay the USDA-RD loan.

Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma’s three public water systems were found to have significant deficiencies during regulatory sanitary surveys conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in November 2021. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) provided technical assistance to help one of the systems — the New Gaming Enterprise water system — develop updated standard operating procedures, an emergency response plan, and a risk and resilience assessment. This brought the system in compliance with the requirements of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018.

Oregon State Snapshot (PDF)

Rose Lodge, Oregon

The Panther Creek Water District in Rose Lodge, Oregon was significantly damaged by wildfires in the fall of 2021. This damage affected the water and wastewater systems, resulting in decreased quality and access for residents. With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) worked with the district on an Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) application to secure $794,000 in funding to make repairs. However, the district still needed additional financial assistance to hire an engineering firm to design a retaining wall that would protect their water source from an unstable hillside. RCAC helped the district partner with an engineering firm that is designing the community’s retaining wall. This will protect the district’s water source and treatment building from future natural disasters.

Pennsylvania State Snapshot (PDF)

Broad Top, Pennsylvania

Broad Top, Pennsylvania is a small riverside town with 1,650 residents. The town lacked a centralized system for wastewater treatment causing some residents to rely on straight piping to remove wastewater from their homes. As straight pipes deposit untreated wastewater directly into bodies of water or backyards, this practice created significant public health hazards. 

Town officials began a major project to create a centralized wastewater system. With RCD funds, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) helped the town apply for funding, design a comprehensive wastewater system, and ensure compliance with all applicable regulations. 

The flexibility of RCD funding allowed RSOL to work with Broad Top continuously for decades. During this time, town officials and RSOL transformed the town’s approach to wastewater. Residents now have access to a reliable and sanitary sewer system, and the river is no longer polluted with wastewater. Watch the video to learn more!

“There’s been a whole lot that’s been done… we have provided access to wastewater systems for over 90% of the residents.” —Ernest Fuller, former secretary treasurer, Broad Top Township

Midland, Pennsylvania

RSOL assisted Midland, PA, with mapping its assets and building its technical, managerial, and financial capacity. RSOL provided technical assistance to this small steel town consisting of 2,635 residents with a median household income of $24,790. Since the steel mill closed in the early 1980s, the water and wastewater plants were oversized compared with the volume of water and wastewater that was treated, which was causing depreciation and infrastructure deterioration. Midland faced serious infrastructure upgrades that required substantial investments.

RSOL worked with Midland to document community needs, prioritize projects, and assist with funding applications. It also assisted with updating water distribution, sewer collection, and storm water systems maps, including collecting real-time GIS Data of water valves, hydrants, and manholes. Through collaboration with RSOL, Midland submitted two funding applications and is engaging with the Community Engineering Corps. RSOL continues to help the community access and apply for funding for the various drinking water and wastewater projects, especially as the community prepares for infrastructure updates to address future challenges of climate change, regional collaboration, and compliance.

Rhode Island State Snapshot (PDF)

Hog Island South Water System 

Hog Island, Portsmouth, Rhode Island is a seaside village in Narragansett Bay; the Hog Island South Water System serves 100 residents. Operating within a smaller system presents a challenge for board members and operations staff to stay abreast of the ever-evolving best practices within the water sector. Competing demands and limited resources make it particularly challenging to dedicate ample time and funds towards professional development initiatives. 

With RCD funding, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) provides high quality training at no cost to water systems like Hog Island South. Recently, RSOL facilitated a virtual training session for members of the Hog Island South board and operations staff. This training covered the technical, managerial, and financial topics inherent in the management and operation of a small drinking water system. The training session was attended by five board members and three operators. 

After the training, these members and operators returned to their work with additional knowledge and skills that will help ensure that residents have access to reliable and safe drinking water.

South Carolina State Snapshot (PDF)

Whitmore, South Carolina

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) worked with the town of Whitmore, a small community with a population of about 1,400 in the mid-northern section of South Carolina, to address water distribution and wastewater collection issues. SERCAP worked with town officials and their engineering consultant to identify appropriate scopes of work, secure cost estimates, and develop a grant application that was unique in that it addressed both the distribution and collection issues. 

As a result, the town was awarded $1,219,000 in loans and $448,000 in grants to bring the raw water pump station back into full operation and improve water quality for the town. Construction crews have mobilized to begin work on activities for the newly labeled Church Street Project, and town personnel are vigorously pursuing hardware upgrades despite supply chain interruptions. SERCAP continues to work with town personnel, their engineers, and outside entities to provide technical, administrative, and funding-related assistance as the town works to implement these water quality improvement activities.

Branchville, South Carolina 

Branchville, South Carolina is a small town with 1,226 residents located in the state’s lower midlands region. Currently, Branchville only has one portable diesel-fueled pump to sustain the entire wastewater system in case of a power outage or natural disaster. This limited power supply puts the town at risk of experiencing environmental health hazards such as sewer backups during power outages. 

Town officials recognized the need to install emergency generators and identified the State Revolved Fund (SRF) as the most likely available source of funding for their small town. There was a short application period — the town had only two weeks to submit an SRF application. With RCD funding, SERCAP helped the town complete a successful application, which included completing application forms and submitting all needed documentation. 

The town was awarded $426,000 through the SRF competition to purchase and install additional emergency generators. After the purchase and installation of the emergency generators is complete, residents will remain safe and healthy with full access to sanitary wastewater systems even during power outages or natural disasters.

South Dakota State Snapshot (PDF)

Corsica, South Dakota 

Outdated water and wastewater systems in Corsica, South Dakota became a significant challenge for the small town, which led to an inability to manage their assets and monitor their infrastructure. With RCD funds,  Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the town digitize its water and wastewater infrastructure by building a GIS-based asset management system. Through the new asset management system, operators can collect data and manage existing infrastructure. As a result of this assistance, the town is now able to start replacing old equipment with new modern equipment and make major system improvements that benefit the entire community. Watch the video to learn more! 

“The Rural Community Development program works with water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Because it is so flexible, it allows the communities to get what they need.” —Jackie Luttrell, MAP project manager 

Oglala Sioux Tribe Water and Sewer 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe Water and Sewer (OSTWAS) tribal utility program could not generate enough revenue to cover the full cost of providing water and sewer services, putting residents at risk of not having safe and sufficient water. In addition, recent sanitary surveys identified the need for OSTWAS to conduct periodic inspection and maintenance of its water storage tanks. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) helped OSTWAS address these issues, including conducting a comprehensive tribal water utility rate study, completing a revenue generation study analysis report, and providing on-site strategic planning workshops and worker safety trainings.

Cedar Gulch II, South Dakota

MAP helped the unincorporated community of Cedar Gulch II, SD, which supplies drinking water to 33 people, comply with regulations and create safer conditions for residents. The water system experiences challenges in adhering to state and federal regulations. The drinking water supply regularly exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Levels for total radium and gross alpha particles set by the EPA by more than five times. Elevated radium and gross alpha particles are known to cause health problems, including cancer.

MAP helped the community resolve the compliance issues by using RCD funds to assist the community in organizing a State Sanitary and Water District, obtaining engineering services through the AWWA Community Engineering Corps (CEC), which provides no cost engineering services to evaluate the water resource and provide water treatment alternatives for the community to consider, installing water treatment infrastructure, performing sampling tests for compliance, and establishing a district-owned Point of Use treatment. Cedar Gulch II is now on track to build a safe water system that is in compliance with all state and federal regulations.

Tennessee State Snapshot (PDF)

Indian Creek Youth Camp 

Soon after a new operator began managing the Indian Creek Youth Camp water system in 2020, he received a state order from the Tennessee Department of Environment Commission (TDEC) noting that the system needed to be sampled more regularly. 

With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) helped the new operator obtain his water operator certification and worked with him to develop a corrective action plan (CAP) for TDEC. In addition to helping the operator develop the CAP, CU helped him develop a sampling plan and schedule, a watershed plan, a monthly operational report, and standard operating procedures. These materials ensured that the Indian Creek Youth Camp could continue to provide drinking water to 350 residents of Liberty, Tennessee in compliance with state and federal regulations.

Texas State Snapshot (PDF)

Old West Mobile Home Park

The new owner of the Old West Mobile Home Park in Amarillo, Texas was dedicated to improving the living conditions of the tenants and fixing issues, including poor water quality and service disruptions arising from a consistently low water level in the community’s well. The project would include conducting updates to the water system and drilling a new well on the site to provide access to clean drinking water. 

With RCD funding, Communities Unlimited (CU) helped the owner explore funding options and apply for funding through the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). CU also conducted a rate analysis to determine a reasonable water rate for residents that would still allow the owner to boost financial capacity. With assistance from CU, the owner obtained funding to complete the project.

Utah State Snapshot (PDF)

M&J Mobile Home Park

Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) served the M&J Mobile Home Park, a very low-income community of about 22 people in Fielding of Box Elder County, UT. M&J’s public water system serves 17 connections, all but one of which are mobile homes. In 2017, a Utah Division of Drinking Water (DDW) “Do Not Use” order was issued due to arsenic levels of over 100ppb in the system. A consulting engineer determined a large capital project was needed to bring the contaminated system back to compliance, so the park applied for a Federal Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) grant in November 2018. M&J did not receive the grant, so Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the community explore potential regional solutions by facilitating regular meetings with regional stakeholders and investigating options, such as connecting with a neighboring water system or treating the existing well.

With the help of RCAC and DDW, M&J submitted a revised SRF application that was approved in June 2022 and awarded the community with a $1.54 million funding package for a water line extension from the Ukon Water Company to M&J Mobile Home Park. This came with $1.36 million in principal forgiveness, leaving $30,000 to be repaid over 30 years at 0 percent interest. Though much remains to be done, this is an important step toward securing an enduring, affordable regional solution to ensure safe drinking water for residents.

Westwater Diné 

The Westwater Diné community outside of Blanding, Utah has not had community water, sewer, or electrical service since the land was purchased by the Navajo Nation in 1986. Residents rely on a nearby spring to haul water to their homes and individual septic systems. With RCD funding, RCAC is working with the Westwater Diné community to develop a system that serves the immediate and long-term needs of residents. Capacity support to the Utah Navajo Trust Fund (UNTF) has resulted in several projects, including implementing a safe way to haul drinking water from a newly built intermediate access point to residents’ homes. RCAC is also assisting partners and coordinating with the City of Blanding on water infrastructure updates that will make piped water possible for the Westwater Diné by 2026.

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's Public Works Department faced challenges ensuring its water systems were resilient, supported, and met regulations. With RCD funding, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) helped the department develop an emergency response plan, risk resilience assessment, drought contingency plan, and customer service plan. ITCA also provided staff training, recommendations, and assessments to enhance operational resiliency, stakeholder support, water resource adequacy, and customer service. ITCA helped establish drought stage trigger criteria, demand reduction goals, and preparedness improvement recommendations, all of which helped the department improve its water systems and operations better meet the needs of the community it serves.

Vermont State Snapshot (PDF)

Wells River Village, Vermont 

Wells River Village, Vermont is a small community of 400 people. The village recently completed a major water infrastructure project, which doubled customer rates. However, the project only upgraded a portion of the 100-plus-year-old distribution piping and did not address compliance issues raised by the Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division (DWGPD). With RCD funding, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) helped the village develop a prioritized action plan and budget to address compliance issues, update the system’s regulatory plans, and initiate a source exploration phase to identify a future supplemental water source. RSOL also helped the village apply for funding to conduct the needed improvements. 

With RSOL’s help, the village applied for and was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. Improving the system will not only help residents remain safe and healthy with access to clean drinking water, but it will also help the town financially by ensuring that the water system remains in compliance with all applicable regulations and does not incur noncompliance fees. 

“The village doesn’t have the funds to make the repairs needed for water system to be successful. It is vital that we have assistance in determining ways to find grants and funding to help us fix these issues.” —Mary Schilke, clerk, Wells River Village, Vermont

Virginia State Snapshot (PDF)

Monterey, Virginia

In early 2019, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH)’s Office of Drinking Water (ODW)’s Division of Capacity Development (CAP DEV) reached out to Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP) for assistance in Monterey, VA, a small town with population of less than 175 people nestled in the mountains of Highland County. The Town Council had not adjusted the utility rates in years, and no Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) had ever been created to address the community’s long-term needs. VDH ODW was prepared to help fund some of these much-needed improvements, but only once the town completed board training, developed a Waterworks Business Operation Plan (WBOP), and created standard utility operation procedures.

SERCAP met with the mayor and Town Council of Monterey to conduct a day-long board training session on sustainable utility management in small and rural systems. SERCAP worked with the council to apply for funding and implement policy and operational changes built around key management areas related to finances, leadership, infrastructure, and operational optimization. Over the next two years, SERCAP worked closely with the town to familiarize community leaders with water/wastewater systems, create specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and discuss the formation of a Regional Water System to include two additional jurisdictions within the county. SERCAP’s assistance strengthened Monterey’s compliance with government rules and regulations and helped the town achieve a high level of operational reliability.

Hobson Village, Virginia 

Water outages without notice used to be a common occurrence in Hobson Village, Virginia. In addition to frequent outages, water quality issues were rampant, with residents expressing that they had never drank water from the faucet despite living in Hobson for decades. Water was supplied to residents in Hobson through two small, privately owned wells; however, the water was unsafe. 

With RCD funds, SERCAP forged a collaborative partnership with town residents and officials to develop solutions to the water quality problems. SERCAP explained the options available to the town residents, and they decided together that the best option available was to connect residents to city water. SERCAP used RCD funds to pay for each resident’s connection fees, which saved households with low incomes thousands of dollars. Residents are now connected to city water, which has provided them with reliable access to safe drinking water and sanitary sewer services. Watch the video to learn more!

"We are extremely happy to be on city water now. It is a game changer, it is a life changer, not just for us, but for our kids and grandkids. We are able to leave a legacy."—John Thrower, Hobson Village resident

Washington State Snapshot (PDF)

Lind, Washington 

The Town of Lind in rural eastern Washington, with a population of 564 people, needed to upgrade its drinking water system and drill a new source well. However, wells in this area must be very deep (approximately 500 to 2,000 feet deep) and are very expensive to drill. Furthermore, the town could not apply for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) through the Washington Department of Health without having the required current, approved Small Water System Management Program. 

With RCD funding, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) worked with the community to update this detailed plan, compiling technical, managerial, and financial information into one document to submit to the Washington Department of Health for approval. With RCAC’s assistance, the Town of Lind received approval of its Small Water System Management Plan in October 2023 and is now able to apply for funding to improve its water system.

“Our community has greatly benefited from the services provided by RCAC. We did not have the knowledge or resources necessary to adequately attack the issues until your RCAC representative became involved.” — Paula Bell, Mayor of Lind

West Virginia State Snapshot (PDF)

Cameron, West Virginia 

The city of Cameron, West Virginia has a declining population and lacks needed revenue to fund improvements to its water system. The city received a significant deficiency in its sanitary survey for failure to maintain the required level of less than 15% water loss and for not having a leak detection program in place. With RCD funding, Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) collaborated with the chief water operator, mayor, and water system staff to develop and implement a leak detection program and helped staff continue to check accuracy within the billing system. 

With assistance from GLCAP, the city also installed a master meter and adjusted the amount of water being delivered to reduce water loss. GLCAP and the city of Cameron continue to track water usage monthly, document leaks and subsequent water loss, remove meters from vacant accounts, and record and analyze daily meter reads. With these activities, Cameron has reduced water loss from 43% to 28% and will eventually reach the acceptable level of less than 15%. This progress will help Cameron become compliant and also save the system money lost by water that is treated but never consumed. 

Triadelphia, West Virginia 

Residents of the town of Triadelphia, West Virginia experienced frequent interruptions in water service because the water system was failing. This resulted in contaminated water and unsanitary conditions. To improve the quality of the public water supply, the town of Triadelphia received funding to upgrade its system, which includes 18,000 linear feet of main line replacement, replacement of valves and fire hydrants, and fire protection for customers. With RCD funding, GLCAP developed and implemented recommendations to improve the system’s capabilities to achieve long-term viability. As a result of the upgrades, the town’s water service is reliable once again and has even created an opportunity for further development in collaboration with the Ohio County Public Service District (PSD) and the Village of Valley Grove Water Association.

Wisconsin State Snapshot (PDF)

Mason, WI

Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) assisted the village of Mason, WI, with capacity building to support the replacement of its wastewater system. The small village, with a population of 93, lacked the funding necessary to upgrade its no longer operable wastewater system, impacting all residents connected to the system. GLCAP helped the village secure funding to expand its pump and irrigation system, rehabilitate manholes, update controls in the plant, and construct a new cold storage building. GLCAP’s assistance enabled the community to complete the project and replace the city’s wastewater system to ensure that residents could live in a safe and healthy environment.

Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin 

The publicly owned water facility in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin lacked written guidance that outlined safety and emergency protocols. The city also struggled to train and certify operators to ensure they were equipped to run systems independently and make operational decisions. With RCD funding, GLCAP worked with water operators to create a safety manual and emergency response plan for use in dealing with natural and man-made emergency situations. GLCAP helped train and educate Lac du Flambeau’s water operators to help them pass their operator certification tests. This included partnering new operators with seasoned operators to get live, hands-on experience. As a result, water operators in Lac du Flambeau now have the training they need, and the water systems and facilities are guided by written protocols that ensure the safety of waterworks personnel and the entire community.

Menominee Tribal Utilities Department

The Menominee Tribal Utilities Department (MTUD) water and wastewater facilities needed additional support to ensure worker safety. The water and wastewater facilities system also did not have an emergency response plan in place, which affects MTUD personnel in the field. To help the MTUD strengthen the resiliency of its water utility services as well as the operations and maintenance technical capacity of its utility personnel, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) provided ongoing technical assistance with RCD grant funding. ITCA assisted the Menominee Nation with three technical assistance projects: Emergency Response Plan and Risk Resilience Assessment, Fall Protection Safety Training, and Confined Space Safety Training. The result of these projects was improved worker safety and emergency response planning for MTUD personnel, and strengthened resiliency of water utility services.

Wyoming State Snapshot (PDF)

Aladdin Water District

Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) helped the Aladdin Water District (WD) obtain ownership of the water system that supplies drinking water to 20 people in the town, as well as hundreds of visitors during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The Aladdin WD sources the drinking water from an exploratory well that was drilled in 1995 by the Wyoming Water Development Commission (WWDC). WWDC still owns this well but plans to sell the well to Aladdin WD.

To obtain the funding required to buy the well, the town had to meet certain qualifications, including not exceeding the required Median Household Income (MHI) level. According to an initial evaluation, the MHI in Aladdin was too high to qualify for funding. Aladdin WD officials suspected that the true MHI in the area was much lower than evaluated due to high unemployment in the area, and MAP provided technical assistance to help Aladdin WD re-evaluate the MHI level.

MAP used RCD funds to conduct an additional income study to recalculate the area MHI that reflected the town’s true unemployment numbers. MAP and the Aladdin WD were able to show that the area MHI was actually much lower than originally calculated. As a result, Aladdin WD qualified for funding to buy the well from WWDC.

Manville, Wyoming 

The drinking water distribution system in the town of Manville, Wyoming was installed in the early 1900s and has since fallen into a state of disrepair. In order to apply for a grant through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), the town needed certain required governmental accounting processes, a rate analysis, and an operations and maintenance manual. 

With RCD funding, MAP developed government accounting tools that enabled the clerk to separate payments and expenditures into the appropriate accounts. Secondly, MAP collaborated with the clerk to provide the town with a rate analysis that examined operating costs and debt repayment. Finally, MAP presented the community with the recommendation to create a GIS-centric operations and maintenance manual, which the community could utilize to maintain the proposed infrastructure. With MAP’s assistance, the town was able to meet the requirements for applying for the ARP grant and received a $3.5 million grant to improve its water distribution system.

There is no active RCD project in American Samoa.

There is no active RCD project in Guam.

There is no active RCD project in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Puerto Rico Territory Snapshot (PDF)

Veredas de Camuy, Puerto Rico 

Veredas de Camuy, a small community in Camuy, Puerto Rico with a population of 365 people, faced a challenge when a developer left the community with an incomplete wastewater pump station. With RCD funding, RCAP Solutions (RSOL)’s initial task involved conducting a thorough assessment of the system and its specific needs. RSOL’s role primarily focused on providing guidance and strategic direction. Detailed discussions were held concerning the prerequisites for transferring infrastructure responsibilities to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). 

To bolster community knowledge, RSOL organized an online training session, featuring a presentation by PRASA specialists on this subject. Furthermore, the recorded session was shared with other community board members for wider dissemination. Recognizing the complex nature of the project, RSOL advised the community to use this information to engage an experienced engineer familiar with similar endeavors. The collection of this information and guidance has contributed to the community's ongoing efforts toward reaching a viable solution, and RSOL continues to be a resource for the community.

United States Virgin Islands Territory Snapshot (PDF)

Coral Bay, St. John, United States Virgin Islands (USVI)

Authorities in Coral Bay, a small community in the USVI, experienced challenges conducting community outreach and understanding the regulations associated with maintaining onsite wastewater treatment compliance. To resolve these challenges, RCAP Solutions (RSOL) worked with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) to conduct regulatory analyses. RSOL reviewed federal statutes and territorial regulations as part of this analysis. As a result, RSOL developed an extensive report explaining the regulatory obligations and limitations the community was subject to regarding its onsite wastewater treatment. 

While working with the DPNR, RSOL also collaborated with the Coral Bay Community Council to develop effective outreach materials for residents about onsite wastewater treatment compliance. RSOL held regular meetings to help the council fully understand the information that must be communicated to residents. RSOL then used the information to create accessible outreach materials that are clear, concise, and effective. The Council then disseminated these materials to residents. By working with the DPNR and the council, RSOL helped to ensure that residents receive necessary information regarding compliance while also building the operational effectiveness of regulatory agencies.