Home | Blog | Documents | Calendar | Tribal Resources | About Us | Past Newsletters Newsletter #115 for June 10, 2013 $384 Billion Needed for Water

       
Smallwatersupply header

Home | Blog | Documents | Calendar | Tribal Resources | About Us | Past Newsletters

Newsletter #115 for June 10, 2013

water.epa.gov grants funding dwsrf upload epa816r13006.pdf

$384 Billion Needed for Water Infrastructure

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released results of a survey showing that $384 billion in improvements is needed for the nation’s drinking water infrastructure through 2030 for systems to continue providing safe drinking water to 297 million Americans. EPA’s fifth Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment identifies investments needed over the next 20 years for thousands of miles of pipes and thousands of treatment plants, storage tanks and water distribution systems, which are all vital to public health and the economy. The national total of $384 billion includes the needs of 73,400 water systems across the country, as well as American Indian and Alaska Native Village water systems.

To learn more, check out the fact sheet or the full report.

***

USDA Helps Bring Fast Internet to Rural Communities

As an Internet educator on rural water issues, we are very aware of both the growing importance of online education as well as the challenges still facing small communities. Bringing high-speed internet to rural areas is an ongoing issue with a suite of solutions needed to meet complex needs. Though progress can feel slow, small victories really do make a difference and deserve to be celebrated, as in the case of this rural Ohio village. To learn more about the Community Connect grant program, click here.

***
talk bubble

Small Talk: Outreach Tip of the Week

Having trouble getting through to board members or other decision makers? Change the format of your communication to explain it in a different way.

Each week, we offer a quick tip to help you educate the public and communicate more effectively with local decision makers and customers.

***
IMG 0771

Recently at SmallWaterSupply.org

Creating O&M Manuals That Actually Get Used
RCAC uses an innovative approach to help tribal operators understand system O&M procedures.

Annual events raise awareness, benefit operators and small communities
Designated days and weeks to honor ideas, people serve an important public communication function for small communities.

What Does a Well-Run Tribal Utility Look Like?
Document lists utility management best practices, serves as important reference to educate decision makers.

***

Video of the Week

In each newsletter, we highlight an excellent video worth watching. That video is also featured on our home page. Visit our archive for past features.

This animated video from Pennsylvania's Source Water Protection Program provides a clear visual demonstration of the role of source water protection in keeping water safe to drink. It can serve as an educational tool for the public as well as a model for your own outreach.

SmallWaterSupply.org
***

Weekly Reading for June 10, 2013

Each week we share a collection of our favorite links we know you'll love too!

▪ New Mexico village loses sole water resources to drought - Community of 1000 forced to retrieve water from surrounding communities until a new well can be drilled.
▪ Community gets a safe wastewater system - A small community in Indiana completes wastewater improvements with USDA Rural Development funding.
▪ EPA files complaint against Timmonsville, S.C. for water violations - Federal government requests that the community address imminent, substantial risks to human health posed by discharges of wastewater as well as take steps necessary to bring the water systems into compliance.
▪ City water rates increase 7% in the last year - Larger systems are taking much-needed steps to be financially sustainable over the long-term and plan for future infrastructure needs
▪ Bathtub preparedness training - EPA's community resiliency exercises help small systems prepare for disasters and other emergency situations.

An in news-of-the-neat, check out how water and historic "technology" can make very sweet music.

***
calendar-icon1.6180526 std

SmallWaterSupply.org Calendar

Upcoming Free Webinars

June 26 - RCAC: Board Basics - Rate Setting
This workshop will show board members, managers and operators how to establish fair rates based on a budget based on true costs.

Want to find additional training opportunities for operators, including events in your area? Search the SmallWaterSupply.org Calendar for more online and in-person events.

***

About SmallWaterSupply.org

SmallWaterSupply.org is a free service, grant-funded to support small community water and wastewater operators with comprehensive resources and information in one easy-to-use place. We also serve the 800+ training, primacy, and technical service organizations, by helping operators get to their information. We aren't buying, selling, or advertising anything. You can call us at 1-866-522-2681 if you need assistance.

Want to use one of our articles?

We hold a liberal fair use policy here at SmallWaterSupply.org - we'd love for you to share our work. We only ask two things if you choose to duplicate one of our blog posts or newsletter articles, no advance permission required:

1. Please credit SmallWaterSupply.org and include a link to the site.
2. Please send us a copy of your publication (info@smallwatersupply.org) to let us know.

Did a friend or colleague forward this email to you?

If you liked what you saw in this edition of the SmallWaterSupply.org newsletter, please consider subscribing to receive it each week in your inbox. Also, please thank your friend and forward this message on to a few others!

Do you follow us?

Use the icons below to connect with us in some of the other places we can find you on the web. We'd love to connect with you in the format that best works for you!

Home | Blog | Documents | Calendar | Tribal Resources | About Us | Past Newsletters

1px