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Have you found the in-person assistance that an RCAP staff person provides in your community useful? Do you wish RCAP could provide more help and expertise in your town?

RCAP now offers some of its knowledge and expertise to small, rural water and wastewater systems in the form of publications and online resources. These new materials are aimed at boards of directors, councils, elected officials and staff who manage or oversee a system. They are useful as an introduction or background to a new project, as a reference between visits by RCAP staff, or as a guide to improving the way your system does business.

All print publications are available from your local RCAP Technical Assistance Provider. Ask him or her for a copy. Or you can download and print them yourself from the RCAP website at www.rcap.org/commpubs.

The Big Guide for Small Systems: A Resource for Board Members

A comprehensive desk reference that is ideal as an orientation and background for new members on the governing body of a small water/wastewater system or as a guide of standards that all elected members can use. The main section of the guide covers: water and wastewater treatment basics; regulatory responsibilities of a board; ways for boards to better conduct their affairs; and a board’s financial duties and responsibilities. The guide also includes an extensive glossary of operational, technical and financial terms and many appendices with sample standard operating procedures, sample policy statements, guidance on hiring and terminating employees and sample job descriptions, guidance on emergency-response planning, and much more.

The Basics of Financial Management for Small-Community Utilities

This how-to guide provides an overview of financial management, from developing and balancing an expense budget to estimating and collecting revenue. This primer is ideal for a board member of a water/wastewater utility who needs to understand the financial aspects of a utility’s operations. The guide explains in very simple, easy-to-understand terms how to read and interpret common financial statements (income statements, balance sheets, cash-flow statements) so more informed decisions can be made with the information that can be gained from them.    

Formulate Great Rates: The Guide to Conducting a Rate Study for a Water System

A guide to developing a fair and equitable rate structure in a small water/wastewater system. Walks users step-by-step through various worksheets in a process to calculate rates. Detailed instructions (including calculations) are provided for each worksheet, which can be completed by hand with worksheets provided in the guide or on electronic versions (Excel spreadsheets) of the worksheets. The guide also provides guidance on financial management of a system related to rates as a system’s income stream.

Getting Your Project to Flow Smoothly: A Guide to Developing Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

A detailed how-to on all the steps a project owner (governing body of a utility) should go through in planning, designing and constructing infrastructure. Discusses roles and responsibilities of the parties in a project – owner, engineer, inspector, contractor, etc. Discusses securing funding, how to stay organized, how to maintain control of a project.

Sustainable Infrastructure for Small System Public Services: A Planning and Resource Guide    

Rather than presenting theories, this guidebook provides information, worksheets, examples, case studies and resources on water conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy resources for small utilities. This planning and resources guide includes a step-by-step process for utility decision makers, staff and community members wanting to operate increasingly efficient utilities. It offers a flexible approach to evaluating sustainable alternatives for utility operations.

USDA Rural Utilities Service Borrower's Guide: A How-to for Water and Wastewater Loans from USDA Rural Development

Summarizes the managerial and financial requirements for communities that are receiving U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Services (RUS) loan funds for their water or wastewater utility. Focuses on the requirements for submitting management reports and financial statements and walks borrowers through the steps of completing the forms and submitting the reports and statements. Comes with a CD with blank forms that are easy to fill in. Also provides ways communities can monitor the financial health of their utilities.

The two guides below are companion guides but are available separately.

A Drop of Knowledge: The Non-operator's Guide to Drinking Water Systems

A Drop of Knowledge: The Non-operator's Guide to Wastewater Systems

Each guide explains in simple, everyday language the technical aspects of drinking water/wastewater treatment and the components and operations of a small plant. They explain in just enough detail the major aspects of operations so a leader with no technical background can make more informed decisions about the maintenance or improvement of the facilities. These guides are ideal as orientation and background material for new small-utility board members and decision makers.

Online companions to the guides:

Water treatment explained for non-technical audiences

Special sections on the RCAP website that explain the treatment process of drinking water and wastewater through the means of animated diagrams and short videos. Each of the two sets of videos is hosted by a member of RCAP’s field staff who provides an overview of the treatment process as well as special considerations or concerns that a system’s operator has in each step. The videos are meant to make non-operators more comfortable with the vocabulary and terms that a plant’s operator uses and to help a utility’s decision makers understand what is required to operate a dependable and sustainable water utility in terms of natural, human, financial and other resources. To access these sections, go to www.rcap.org/DWWWtreatment

Other articles in this issue:

• Director's Letter
• Rural Developments (news briefs)
• USDA and EPA encourage partnerships among water systems
• Five things you can do to save on energy in your utility
• Legislative Matters