Drop of Knowledge

Across rural America and U.S. held territories, Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) help rural communities navigate complex bureaucracies, secure project funding, and implement infrastructure projects vital to regional economies. However, TAPs face unique challenges that make their jobs incredibly difficult. Despite these challenges, dedicated rural development specialists understand their critical role as a lifeline connecting communities with the resources they need. 

From the banks of the Colorado River to the archipelagos of Micronesia, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)– the Western RCAP – serves a remarkably diverse region. Regardless of the specific culture or geography, the communities RCAC assists often confront the same basic challenges. Here are five of the most typical challenges TAPs encounter. 

1. Tech Time Warp 

Due to spotty internet in rural communities, TAPs find themselves dusting off fax machines, googling a tutorial on how to use one, or becoming an in-person courier, hand-delivering documents so the utilities you assist don’t miss critical application deadlines. Advocating for better connectivity is a long-term battle being fought on various levels, but in the meantime, TAPs should be prepared to deal with the same technological frustrations rural water operators face.  

2. Capacity   

Finding qualified engineers, contractors and other professionals to work in remote rural areas is its own challenge. Communities regularly face overpriced, substandard services and long delays when searching for reliable vendors. TAPs can often expect to spend significant time helping communities navigate the procurement process, vetting bidders, and ensuring that projects are technically sound. TAPs may also find themselves mediating disputes, acting as a watchdog to protect community interests, and providing impromptu project management seminars. Additionally, TAPs may arrive on-site expecting a formal office but instead find yourself working with a few volunteers, juggling their board duties with full-time jobs or businesses or busy lives of their own, including other community leadership roles. In the most basic level, these communities lack capacity for managing major infrastructure projects. Your ability to adapt is crucial. 

 3. Jumping Through Hoops While Drowning in Acronyms (JTHWDA) 

Navigating the labyrinth of federal, state, and local regulations is a formidable task, even for seasoned TAPs. In chronically under-resourced rural areas, the process becomes even more daunting. The alphabet soup of acronyms – RUS, SDWA, CWSRF, TTHM, VOCs and countless others– becomes a second language that takes significant time and effort to master. Understanding the nuances of agency procedures, interpreting timelines and adapting to an ever-evolving regulatory landscape requires specialized expertise and relentless dedication. 

Technological constraints can add another layer of complexity; online portals designed to aid the application process often require extensive navigation and troubleshooting due to their design, shifting requirements and occasional technical glitches. The TAP’s ability to navigate these challenges is a vital skill and critical for assisting rural communities to secure the support they need.  

4. Perseverance Is Your Friend 

Rural communities facing wastewater system failure have no time to spare; when things are not maintained, systems are exposed to potential regulatory fines and public health risks, resulting in cascading economic consequences that can destabilize entire local economies. Securing funding, getting regulatory approvals, and finishing construction projects can take an agonizingly long time. The ability to manage expectations, advocate tirelessly for action, and celebrate even incremental progress is essential for project success and community morale – not to mention your sense of purpose and mental health. Remember: the road to success isn’t always straightforward, and the biggest wins can come from overcoming unexpected setbacks in a slow and steady manner. 

5. Empty Pockets, Full Potential 

Rural communities bear the brunt of historical neglect, underinvestment, and other structural barriers that continuously limit access to capital and professional expertise. These factors make it tough to keep basic services running and aggravate rural communities’ inherent disadvantages in a playing field heavily skewed in favor of more urbanized, affluent regions. 

To effectively tackle these problems, it’s important to understand the historical contexts and inequities that continue to shape rural communities – and their proven track record of finding creative solutions with limited means. This is crucial for crafting strategies that mitigate immediate challenges and pave the way for sustainable development over the long haul. 

Rural communities embody a spirit of resourcefulness and determination that can spark remarkable growth when given the right opportunities. By partnering with organizations like RCAP, these communities leverage their strengths, develop strategies for positive change, and energetically build a future where they flourish on their own terms. 

This article is funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 2 2022 – 2024 grant. 

On February 8, 2024, the Kentucky House Standing Committee on State Government voted 16 – 1 in favor of sending HB 141 on to the House floor for consideration. HB 141 is an act relating to water fluoridation programs in Kentucky. In summary, the bill would amend KRS 211.190 to make water fluoridation optional for water systems and allow the governing bodies of those water systems to decide whether they wanted to participate in the water fluoridation program. It would also prevent consecutive water systems served by the supplying system from forcing the supplier to provide fluoridated water.  

Currently, under 902 KAR 115:010, any water system in Kentucky serving a population of 3,000 or more must supplement their finished water with fluoride if it is naturally fluoride deficient. The range of fluoride in finished water should be between 0.6 ppm and 1.2 ppm with a target goal of 0.7 ppm. This and similar bills have been introduced previously but have never made it through or passed the committee stage with such an overwhelming majority. The lopsided vote in favor of changes has garnered a lot of conversation and responses from both those in favor of the bill and those in opposition.    

The Kentucky Dental Association (KDA) sent a letter to the House Standing Committee opposing HB 141. The KDA explains in the letter, “Over 70 years of research and practical experience, the overwhelming weight of credible scientific evidence has consistently indicated that fluoridation of community water supplies is safe” and “the cost of a lifetime of water fluoridation for one person is less than the cost of one filling.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has named water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th century.   

According to the CDC, access to fluoridated drinking water reduces cavities by about 25% in children and adults.  Many of the benefits from drinking fluoridated water include strengthening of developing permanent teeth in children eight and under and supporting healthy tooth enamel in adults, along with fewer cavities for all. Both the CDC and KDA show that 95% or more of Kentucky residents receive fluoridated water. In fact, the CDC ranks Kentucky second, only behind the District of Columbia, in percentage of the population receiving fluoridated water. More information and state statistics can be found on the CDC Community Water Fluoridation page at Community Water Fluoridation | Division of Oral Health | CDC.   

Other groups and individuals have taken a stance of support for HB 141. Soon after the bill passed the committee, the group Kentucky for Fluoride Choice released a letter citing several research articles and opinions from water professionals on the possible dangers of fluoride which they believe could be linked to negative health outcomes. Other concerns from the group include the source of additive fluoride. Many water systems use hydro fluorosilicic acid (HFS), an industrial waste byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer and aluminum industries and is not a naturally occurring chemical. More information can be found on their press release at KFFC Press Release for KMFC Website. 

Water treatment operators, the ones on the front line of this debate who are handling and dosing fluoride for their customers, have brought up the subject many times recently during site visits and at training sessions conducted by Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs).  Although they are proud of the fact that they play such an important role in dental health for their communities and they take that role very seriously, many have concerns about water fluoridation as well. Most topics of concern include those previously mentioned: 

Forced medication 

Fluoride not being necessary for making water safe to drink 

Hazards of handling HFS and other fluoride additive chemicals 

Possible side effects of fluoride 

As of this writing, it appears that HB 141 will not make it to the House floor before the session expires. However, we can be sure that some form of the bill will come up again soon. As TAPs, we should research both sides of the fluoride debate and be prepared to give advice to operators if asked. At a minimum, it is our responsibility to make sure that small, disadvantaged systems and their operators get the training to be able to safely handle and dose the recommended amount of fluoride and, if a change is made, be prepared to assist in communicating to the public fluoridated water alternatives.   

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 1 2023 – 2025 grant. 

Sewer customers may be familiar with the notices, “Due to rising costs, the monthly price of your service is set to increase during your next billing cycle.” So why do so many wastewater utilities struggle to raise rates? Unlike your favorite subscription service, wastewater utility customers do not have the choice of pausing or canceling their membership in response to a price increase and deciding to take their business elsewhere.

Wastewater utilities have a responsibility to safely and reliably treat the wastewater that flows through the plant as well as a responsibility to customers to ensure that the use of funds is lawful and efficient. Proper fiscal management means that revenues not only meet day-to-day expenses but also prepare the system for potential emergencies and future capital projects.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Consum the cumulative rates of inflation over the last two, five, and ten years are 6.0%, 21.4%, and 31.1% respectively. We should also expect that the costs associated with the safe and reliable treatment of wastewater have also risen during that time. Infrastructure projects constructed in the U.S. during the 1980s are reaching the end of their useful lives and are in need of capital improvements. If typical repair and replacement schedules are not followed, components suffer premature failure, further increasing costs. Wastewater systems can prepare for these capital upgrades with regular contributions to capital reserves, but not all systems have a dedicated reserve fund or, if they do, it may have not have much in it.

A combination of an outdated rate schedule, little to no reserve or emergency funds, and future capital improvement projects places a wastewater system in a financially vulnerable position. Keeping rate evaluations and increases as a regular part of system operation will benefit managers, operators, and customers in the long term. Raising utility rates may not be a popular move and can result in public backlash from customers. However, keeping rates artificially low and postponing rate adjustments is not financially sustainable and will increase future costs, let alone leave the system vulnerable in case there is an emergency. Maintaining clear and consistent communication with sewer customers throughout the rate adjustment process, including opportunities for public input, helps with a smoother transition to potential rate increases.

Whether a rate adjustment is many years overdue or has become part of the regular budget season, the basic steps are the same.

Current rate structure evaluation

First, the system must understand the existing rate structure and evaluate if that should change. Common fee types include a base fee ($/month) and a use fee ($/gallon). These fees can vary for residential and commercial customers. Systems may have other revenue sources such as debt service fees, or funds levied through property taxes. Check your local code for any limitations about the types of rates your system may use.

Financial assessment

A financial assessment is critical to setting appropriate rates. At a minimum, the last three complete years of budget versus actual expenses should be reviewed to understand how money is moving through the system and what are common expenses as part of operations.

Customer assessment

Customer data must also be reviewed for rate adjustments. Critical questions such as, “How many customers are there, and how much are they paying?” should be asked during this review process. If use fees are applied based on meter data, are there use patterns? Are residential and commercial customers billed differently? Create a picture of the types of customers using the system and what kind of bills they are currently paying. Does this reflect the goals of the municipality and the utility?

Future projections

In concert with the financial and customer assessments, utilities should also consider the future use of the system. Are the expenses expected to change significantly due to capital projects? Is the number of customers expected to stay the same or change? Be critical when reviewing population data since customer bases may be in decline, but rates could be calculated on number of potential users instead of actual users. Use local knowledge and data to make projections for cost and use.

Rate options

With an understanding of total revenue under the current rates coupled with projections for total revenue needed, the difference shows how much additional revenue is needed to maintain sustainable operations. The board of the wastewater system must determine how to produce the additional revenue using available rate structures. Increasing base fees provides a more reliable revenue source but may be unfair by charging all customers evenly, whereas increasing use fees gives customers the most control but leaves the system more susceptible to revenue shortfalls if usage decreases. Considering three to five different rate options can help boards and customers evaluate the pros and cons of different strategies for meeting the system’s expenses.

The annual budget process is a natural opportunity for wastewater systems to assess their financial needs and make necessary adjustments. Just as expenses are consistently rising, sources of revenue need to keep up. Regular rate increases can be intimidating to implement but are a foundation of financial sustainability in any wastewater system.

For additional information, check out our rates guide and our eLearning on rate setting.

This article is funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 2 2022 – 2024 grant. 

Across rural America and U.S.-held territories, RCAP technical assistance providers (TAPs) help rural communities navigate complex bureaucracies, secure funding and implement infrastructure projects vital to regional economies. However, TAPs face unique challenges that make their jobs incredibly difficult, to put it mildly. Despite the headaches, dedicated rural development specialists understand their critical role as a lifeline connecting communities with the resources they need. 

From the banks of the Colorado River to the archipelagos of Micronesia, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) – the Western RCAP – serves a remarkably diverse region. Regardless of the specific culture or geography, the communities RCAC assists often confront the same basic issues. Get ready, because here are five of the most frustratingly typical challenges TAPs encounter – and why overcoming them requires a whole lot of grit. 

1. Tech Time Warp: Back to Y2K!  

Do you think the small-town wastewater operator ghosted you? Well, maybe they did – or maybe they’re dealing with spotty bandwidth. You might find yourself dusting off your fax machine – or googling a tutorial on how to use one – or becoming an in-person courier, hand-delivering documents so your partners don’t miss critical application deadlines. Welcome to the analog shuffle! Advocating for better connectivity is a long-term battle being fought on various levels but, in the meantime, prepare to deal with the same technological frustrations rural water operators face.  

2. Capacity – Where Did Everybody Go? 

Have you ever tried to find a qualified engineer in a town smaller than your high school? You might arrive expecting a formal office but instead find yourself working with a few volunteers juggling their board duties with full-time jobs or businesses and busy lives of their own, including other community leadership roles. Imagine the person who organizes the town festival also taking a crash course in cryptic agency guidelines and cumbersome grant applications. On the most basic level, these communities lack the homegrown capacity for major infrastructure projects. 

Finding qualified engineers, contractors and other professionals to work in remote rural areas is its own challenge. Communities regularly face overpriced, substandard services and long delays when searching for reliable vendors. Expect to spend significant time helping communities navigate the procurement process, vetting bidders and ensuring that projects are technically sound. You may also find yourself mediating disputes, acting as a watchdog to protect community interests, and providing impromptu project management seminars. Your ability to adapt is crucial! 

3. Jumping Through Hoops While Drowning in Acronyms (JTHWDA) 

Navigating the labyrinth of federal, state and local regulations is a formidable task, even for seasoned TA providers. In chronically under-resourced rural areas, the process becomes even more daunting. The alphabet soup of acronyms – RUS, SDWA, CWSRF, TTHM, VOCs and countless others– becomes a second language that takes significant time and effort to master. Understanding the nuances of agency procedures, interpreting timelines and adapting to an ever-evolving regulatory landscape requires specialized expertise and relentless dedication. 

Technological constraints can add another layer of complexity; online portals designed to aid the application process often require extensive navigation and troubleshooting due to their design, shifting requirements and occasional technical glitches. The TAP’s ability to navigate these challenges is a vital skill and critical for assisting rural communities to secure the support they need.  

4. Time Isn’t Your Friend, Perseverance Is 

Rural communities facing wastewater system failure have no time to spare; when things really start to stink, they’re exposed to potential regulatory fines and public health risks, and resulting cascading economic consequences that can destabilize entire local economies. Securing funding, getting regulatory approvals and finishing construction projects can take an agonizingly long time. The ability to manage expectations, advocate tirelessly for action and celebrate even incremental progress is essential for project success and community morale – not to mention your sense of purpose and mental health. Remember: the road to success isn’t always straightforward, and the biggest wins can come from overcoming unexpected setbacks! 

5. Empty Pockets, Full Potential 

The fundamental challenge lies in a critical resource scarcity – a symptom of deep-rooted structural inequalities that favor metropolitan centers at the expense of rural zones, which is a worldwide phenomenon. Rural communities bear the brunt of historical neglect, underinvestment and other structural barriers that continuously limit access to capital and professional expertise. These factors make it tough to keep basic services running and aggravate rural communities’ inherent disadvantages in a playing field heavily skewed in favor of more urbanized, affluent regions. 

Think of it this way: smaller communities often receive fewer resources up front, making it harder to attract businesses, skilled professionals and even essential workers. This creates a negative feedback loop where the lack of resources leads to even fewer resources. Over time, it becomes incredibly challenging for these communities to compete on their own, even when they have amazing ideas or potential. 

To effectively tackle these problems, it’s important to understand the historical contexts and inequities that continue to shape rural communities and their proven track record of finding creative solutions with limited means. This is crucial for crafting strategies that mitigate immediate challenges and pave the way for sustainable development over the long haul. 

Rural communities embody a spirit of resourcefulness and determination that can spark remarkable growth when given the right opportunities. By partnering with organizations like RCAP, these communities leverage their strengths, develop strategies for positive change and energetically build a future where they flourish on their own terms. 

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA Wastewater 2022 – 2024 grant. 

How do you respond when your car reminds you it is time for a check-up? Or when your calendar sends a reminder that it is time for a doctor’s appointment or teeth cleaning? Nearly everything, from our bodies to our appliances, requires maintenance to survive without breakdown. Preventative care is usually less expensive than costly repairs when breakdowns occur, so performing up-front routine maintenance can save money, time, and energy.

Maintaining your community’s wastewater system will increase its sustainability, further addressing aging infrastructure, limited funding, and increased populations and demands. Failure to upkeep your system will result in system failure and create compliance issues. One of the major issues could be the effluent not meeting permit standards and, most importantly, the community’s wastewater not being treated correctly, thus creating a public health issue.

One solution to protect and maintain your community’s wastewater system involves completing a drawdown pump test at the lift station.

How to perform a Pump Drawdown Test:

1. Determine the pump rate in gallons/minute.

What is the size of the lift station? (diameter in feet or length, width or depth)

To find the pump design size/capacity information, look in the manual or plans of the lift station.
What is the influent rate without the pump running?

You should calculate the influent rate with a stopwatch, rod, or meter tape marked in feet and inches. An electronic water level meter tape is a more expensive but straightforward method of gauging depth changes. You can determine the cubic footage over a set period.
Turn the pump off and use the rod and stopwatch to measure the water rise in a set time. This will establish the cubic feet per minute. Multiply it by 7.48 gal/ft3to compute gallons per minute influent. This is the influent rate without the pump on.

What is the drawdown rate with only one pump running?

Turn the pump on and analyze the drawdown in water over the same set period with the pump running. This is the drawdown rate with the pump in operation. Determine the cubic feet per minute and gallons per minute. Add the influent rate to the calculated drawdown rate to calculate the gallons per minute pump rate.

2. Determine the effectiveness of the pump.

What is the percentage of efficiency?

Convert the design capacity pump rate (rated capacity) to gallons per minute.
Divide the pump rate you calculated by its rated capacity and multiply it by 100. This is the percentage of efficiency.

The following rate calculations are for a circular wet well:

Influent Flow Rate Calculation

Where D is the diameter of the well, and R is how much the water level rises (in feet) in one minute.

Initial Drawdown Rate Calculation

Where D is the diameter of the well, and F is how much the water level falls (in feet) in one minute.

Pumping Rate Correcting for Influent Flow

Pump Rate = Drawdown Rate + Influent Rate

Pump Efficiency Calculation

Performing a drawdown pump test will calculate your pump’s actual pumping flow rate and diagnose possible issues with your pumping system. Additionally, this test will determine if your lift station(s) are functioning efficiently. It is best practice to examine wastewater pumps at least twice yearly to expose operating conditions changes.

Safety Warning:

Disconnect and lock out the power before servicing equipment. Review the manual to be aware of any safety guidelines before starting.

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA Treatment Works 2022 – 2023 grant.

There are innumerable articles, webinars, books, training sessions and publications that address asset management for water and wastewater utility systems. Though philosophies and frameworks vary, all of them essentially say, “Know what you have.” When we think about utility assets, we tend to picture structures such as pump houses, treatment plants, tanks, vaults, basins, the underground facilities and piping. These are easy to consider as “assets”. Keeping track of them involves building plans, up-to-date maps, maintenance history, and more. Unfortunately, though managers try to keep detailed records and maintenance plans for facilities, when capturing inventory for rate setting, vehicles used for many aspects of running the utility system often receive less attention.

If the system is large enough, there may be established fleet management personnel, procedures, recording systems, maintenance records, and maintenance schedules. In smaller systems however, where employees wear multiple hats or vehicles are used across a variety of purposes, record keeping and maintenance schedules may be in the hands of individuals that may not prioritize the care of the cars, pick-ups, dump trucks, tankers, vac-trucks, or even backhoes, tractors, mowers (depending on the manner in which such equipment is categorized for each system) with equal consideration of other equipment used in moving and treating water/wastewater. Hearing “I wasn’t the last one to use it” is not uncommon. Sometimes forgotten is the fact that the SUV used to travel to a water training session, or the tractor with a finishing mower to keep the wellhouse lot tidy, are both legitimate uses for utility system purposes. Keeping track of the vehicles can be made easier with the use of fleet maintenance software and programs, and a dedicated person with an aptitude for computers and data entry to maneuver through those systems. Of course, that is if the utility can afford such tools, which are generally quite pricey, and can be cumbersome for some fleets.

An alternative suggestion is to appoint one single person to oversee vehicle records, maintenance schedules, and other paperwork.  This employee does not need to be the one performing the actual wrenching, lubing, and repair on the vehicles; the mechanical work can be contracted out. Documentation and recordkeeping can be done through a homemade spreadsheet or database, and a computer folder to hold scanned materials on each vehicle. Of course, some papers, certificates, and documents (titles, bills of sale, registration, insurance, etc.) are required to be kept in hard copy form, so an actual file folder (such as an expanding folder or accordion file keeper) for each vehicle is recommended. Keep the folders in a single location that is known and accessible to more than one employee.

Other items that are beneficial to place in a vehicle’s folder, whether real or electronic, include: receipts for all parts and services, notes on uses and users, comments and complaints from operators, and photographs. Speaking of pictures, be sure to take photos when the vehicle is first acquired, from each side and multiple angles, as this provides a historical record if damage occurs, or other future uses. Finally, provide each vehicle with a distinct identifier, be it a number or alpha-numeric designation. No need to be overly complicated with it. Do not reuse identifiers from previous units that have been removed from the fleet – confusion will ensue, and running out of numbers is generally not an imminent worry. Maintaining the care of these vehicles is a necessary and continuous component of any water and wastewater utility.

This article was funded under RCAP’s Treatment Works 2022 – 2023 grant.

Colonias are defined as a geographic area located within 150 miles of the Texas-Mexico border that has a majority population composed of individuals and families of low and very low income (taken from https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/cdbg-colonias/colonias-history/). While Colonias in Texas may have an unfortunate negative connotation due to their residents’ poor quality of life along the border for many years, the term “colonia” is not a negative term in Mexico. It is simply the term for an area or neighborhood in which they live.

Some families living in the Texas Colonias lack safe housing and essential services such as potable water, adequate sewage systems, drainage, utilities, and paved roads. Living conditions are often compared to underdeveloped countries. Colonias present one of the most critical housing needs in Texas, because many of the houses in the colonias were constructed mainly of scarce materials. Professional builders were rarely used, and residents frequently started with makeshift structures of wood or other materials. As finances allowed, they continued to improve their homes.

Resources from local, state, and federal agencies have positively impacted colonias in areas such as Hidalgo County, Texas. Thanks to many legislative updates and progressive actions of local leaders, Hidalgo County has eliminated the lack of adequate potable water in the colonias and has begun focusing on a better quality of life, including economic and social development.

One of the many positive programs currently helping improve the quality of life in colonias is placing streetlights within the community. Section 280.003 of the Texas Transportation Code allows for the placement of streetlights along a county road in a subdivision located in an unincorporated area in any territory within 150 miles of the US-Mexico border. Hidalgo County can require this basic service via their Model Subdivision Rules. Colonia residents are benefiting from a simple but effective solution for crime deterrence.

In 2018, North Alamo Water Supply Corporation began providing first-time wastewater for colonias north of Donna, TX as part of a multi-phase project, it became the first regional wastewater plant. Geographically, colonias have usually been north of Expressway 83 as communities were first developed south of this highway. As years progressed, cities could not cover the expenses to build or bore a wastewater line under the expressway. Thanks to funding from the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (USDA, RD), Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and the North American Development Bank (NADBank), North Alamo Water Supply was able to complete a $14.9-million-dollar project and provide services to 400 homes. Additionally, this project allowed Donna Independent School District to build a state-of-the-art high school, Donna North High School, in the center of all the colonias. Donna North High School has proven to greatly benefit the next generation of students, as they now have an educational resource that was once deemed impossible. The completion of this first-time wastewater collection system has allowed businesses to open in colonias, improving economic development that has been lacking for decades.

Colonia residents and its leaders would agree that there is still plenty of work. Still, much has been accomplished, and the quality of life has drastically improved. History has taught that the resiliency of colonia residents will continue to “flush-away” any issues they may continue to face.

Water is the most precious resource on the planet. Our rivers, lakes, and oceans make up seventy-one percent of the earth’s surface; no one can live without water, but clean and fresh water is becoming harder to find.

Water pollution occurs when harmful chemicals or microorganisms get into a river, lake, ocean, or aquifer, making it toxic to humans or the environment. Water is known as the universal solvent, it dissolves more substances than any other liquid, including those harmful to life.

Chemicals, waste, and other pollutants are contaminating our waterways. Some eighty percent of the world’s wastewater is dumped untreated back into the environment, diminishing our drinking water sources. Throughout the United States, potentially harmful contaminants such as arsenic, copper, and lead have been found in tap water. These substances occur naturally but are the result of manufacturing as well. By the year 2050, the demand for fresh water will be one-third greater than it is now.

Drinking water comes from groundwater and surface water. Groundwater primarily comes from precipitation that seeps down into the ground through cracks, crevices, and porous spaces down to the aquifer; an underground storage area of water. The aquifer is our least visible or thought-of resource. Nearly forty percent of Americans rely on groundwater for drinking. For some communities in rural areas, it is their only source for fresh water, but this groundwater can become contaminated by pesticides, fertilizers, and waste from landfills, septic tanks, and farmlands. Once an aquifer is polluted, it may be almost impossible to get the contaminants out, making the aquifer unusable for decades to come, or sometimes never useable again.

Surface water covers about seventy percent of the earth’s surface. Surface water from freshwater sources accounts for more than sixty percent of the water used in American homes, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, almost half of that water is unfit for swimming, fishing, or drinking. Nutrient pollution, such as nitrates and phosphates are the leading types of contamination for surface waters. Ocean water is contaminated by chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals that are carried from farms, factories, and cities by the way of storm drains and sewers spilling out into our bays and estuaries, and then out to sea, carrying with it trash and plastic.

On the opposite side of the water spectrum, we have wastewater, which is comprised of sewage, some industrial waste, and gray water. Gray water comes from our sinks, showers, washing machines, and dishwashers; sewage comes from our toilets. More than eighty percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused.

In the United States wastewater treatment plants process about thirty-four billion gallons of wastewater per day. Wastewater treatment plants reduce pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen that’s in sewage and discharge the treated water back into the environment. Some is used to spray fields while some is discharged into a stream or river, and some is injected back into the aquifer. When systems fail due to aging and easily overwhelmed sewer systems, raw sewage – some eight hundred and fifty billion gallons a year – is released into the environment.

The truth of the matter is – water pollution kills. In fact, almost one and a half million people die each year, and one billion people are sickened by unsafe water. Diseases like cholera, giardia, and typhoid are spread by contaminated water. Even a water system that is safe can become contaminated by backflow of pollutants into the system.

What can we do to help prevent water pollution? We can reduce our plastic consumption and reuse or recycle when we can. We can dispose of chemicals, oils, and non-biodegradable items properly. We can avoid applying pesticides or herbicides to our lawns and not flush our old medications down the toilet but dispose of them properly.  Those are just a few ways to help prevent water pollution.

Implementation of new regulations could alleviate today’s challenges to chemicals such as microplastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals that wastewater treatment plants were not built to handle.

Our waterways serve every one of us. We all have the power to help protect our most natural resource by properly disposing of chemicals and being mindful of the products we use.

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 1 2022 – 2024 grant. 

“Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association– those are big words!” laughs Tracie Johnson of the newly-formed Southern New Mexico Water Association.

Serving approximately 120 rural households, the Enchanted Forest community water system was nestled in a rugged section of Lincoln County in Southern New Mexico that had been experiencing numerous wildfires and drought over much of the past decade.

By late May 2022, the community had run out of water.

Fortunately,  Johnson had reached out to Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) just the month before, seeking advice on how to ensure a clean and reliable source of drinking water for residents of the Enchanted Forest community system. As Johnson often stated, “We need the water!”

RCAC Rural Development Specialists (RDSs) and Johnson worked quickly to obtain emergency assistance from the New Mexico Board of Finance and led efforts to reorganize the community’s imperiled water system into a Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association (MDWCA) to access public financing options. The MDWCAs were originally authorized under New Mexico’s Sanitary Projects Act of 1949 to address the waterborne illness that was prevalent throughout many parts of the state at the time. They allow small communities like Enchanted Forest to legally build and develop  safe drinking water systems with public funding assistance. RCAC then helped develop organizational documents that would be needed for the transition, such as the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. By June 2022, the community system had been officially reorganized as an MDWCA.

RCAC next continued to help the community address its water security needs by assisting the newly-formed Enchanted Forest MDWCA with implementing system improvements. RCAC helped the board procure engineering services and navigate the often-complex loan and grant funding application process, identifying the best approach for leveraging the community’s limited financial resources. Most recently, RCAC devoted additional resources to conduct a household income survey that will determine the community’s eligibility to access additional public funding opportunities.

According to RCAC’s regional field manager, Ramon Lucero, who has played a vital role in helping Enchanted Forest, “Rarely have I seen an association so engaged and motivated. It has been a great privilege working with Enchanted Forest.” Referring to Lucero and the RCAC Rural Development Specialists Karl Pennock and Indira “Indie” Aguirre who have also worked on this effort, Johnson writes, “Again and again and again, you, Karl, and now Indie have just been invaluable, and I hope for a long, long-time friendship out of this entire adventure.”

Congratulations to Enchanted Forest Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association on a job well done!

This article was funded under RCAP’s EPA NPA 1 2022 – 2024 grant.