OCS DCL-2023-10 World Water Week FY 2023

Office of Community Services

Dear Colleague Letter

DCL#: OCS-DCL-2023-10

DATE: August 16, 2023

TO: OCS Grant Recipients, Stakeholders, and Partners

SUBJECT: Celebrating World Water Week 2023

ATTACHMENT(S): N/A

Dear Colleagues,

Join us to celebrate the Office of Community Services’ (OCS) third annual observance of World Water Week, August 21 to August 25. World Water Week provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of water and demonstrate the impact that the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), Rural Community Development (RCD) program, and the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) have on communities struggling with water accessibility and affordability.

Next week, there will be new and informative materials released daily on the World Water Week webpage showcasing how OCS-funded programs help meet the unmet water needs of individuals, families, and communities with low income.

Below is a preview of the daily updates you can expect next week:

Monday, August 21

• Panel Discussion and Water Utility Affordability Survey Webinar Event: This virtual webinar, OCS World Water Week: Addressing Water Affordability and Accessibility , will highlight innovative solutions for achieving water affordability. Panelists will include Ramon Lucero (Regional Field Manager, Rural Community Assistance Corporation), Gary Brown (Director, Detroit Water and Sewage Department), and multiple OCS staff members. The federal LIHWAP team will also share key results from the recent Water Utility Affordability Survey. Register now !

• Highlights of the Water Utility Affordability Survey One-Pager: The Water Utility Affordability Survey was conducted between March and June 2023 by OCS LIHWAP staff to collect information from water and wastewater utilities related to water disconnections, rates, fees, and arrearages. Survey findings shed light on the financial burdens that both water utilities and their customers experience, the scope of water and wastewater debt, and where grant recipients can target outreach as remaining LIHWAP funds are obligated and expended. On Monday, August 21, we will publish a one-page overview of the survey. A full report detailing the survey methodology and additional findings will be published this fall.

Tuesday, August 22

• Spotlight video on CSBG’s impact on water access in California: This video highlights the impact of CSBG funds on sustained efforts to connect rural communities to municipal water systems, alleviating systemic water access issues due to historic droughts. This story shows how the local Community Action Agency was able to address the immediate need in 2017 and, over the intervening years, leverage CSBG funds with a variety of partners to connect their rural residents to clean and affordable water.

• Spotlight video on LIHWAP in American Samoa: This video highlights the impact of LIHWAP and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) on a family in American Samoa. Together, the programs allowed Theresa, a nurse, and Mickey, a taro farmer, to keep their utilities on.

• Kentucky Story Map: A collection of interactive maps and interviews that highlight the impact of LIHWAP funds on water affordability. Listen to stories about how LIHWAP has enabled small community water systems to remain operational and discover the importance of affordable residential water through interviews with families and Community Action Agencies.

Wednesday, August 23

• RCD Information and Data Dashboard: On Tuesday, OCS will release the Rural Community Development (RCD) Information and Data Dashboard. The first of its kind, the RCD dashboard presents information on rural water and wastewater needs and how the RCD program helps communities access safe, affordable water and wastewater services. The dashboard examines national data on a variety of topics, including water violations, the number of households without plumbing access, and water and wastewater infrastructure challenges, and illustrates how RCD is helping to respond to these issues.

Thursday, August 24

• LIHWAP Tribal Fact Sheet: This fact sheet will detail how LIHWAP services have impacted tribal communities across the country.

• Artwalk: "Stories of Water Through Indigenous Art and Narratives" will be a virtual gallery walk highlighting the importance of water from a cultural perspective through the senses, experiences, and expressions of Indigenous artists. The artists emphasize that beyond being a basic need in the present, water connects us to our past, our planet, and our future.

• Spotlight video translations: As part of our commitment to language accessibility, four LIHWAP spotlight videos have been translated into the native languages of Yu’pik and Cherokee.

Friday, August 25

• LIHWAP Data Dashboard : The dashboardhas been updated with data from the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. The LIHWAP Data Dashboard  is an information management tool that visually tracks, analyzes, and displays key performance indicators, as well as key data points from the approved LIHWAP Implementation Plans and the LIHWAP quarterly and annual reports. This data provides information on assistance provided between April 1st, 2023, through June 30th, 2023.

As a reminder, you can find all these resources as they are released daily on the OCS World Water Week 2023 webpage.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. OCS looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality services to OCS partners.

/s/
Dr. Lanikque Howard
Director
Office of Community Services