Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities
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February 2012

Planning for Sustainability: A Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities

Posted Wed, 2012/02/01 - 12:10pm by RCAP

Effective planning is essential for water and wastewater systems to manage their operations and infrastructure and ensure the sustainability of the communities they serve.  To this end, EPA has issued Planning for Sustainability: A Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities.  The handbook describes a number of steps utilities can undertake to enhance its planning processes to ensure that water utilities are sustainably managed using cost-effective life-cycle analysis.

Format: 
Printed guide
Topic: 
Infrastructure
Planning
Source: 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Audience: 
Operator
Board/council member
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)
Plant manager

Handbook to help water utilities plan for sustainability

Posted Wed, 2012/02/01 - 12:06pm by RCAP

EPA has released a comprehensive handbook to help water-sector utilities build sustainability considerations into their planning. "Planning for Sustainability: A Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities" will help utilities ensure that water infrastructure projects across the nation, including those funded through the state revolving fund programs, are sustainable and support the long-term sustainability of the communities these utilities serve. 

New tool provides access to water-pollution data

Posted Wed, 2012/02/01 - 12:03pm by RCAP

EPA announced the release of a new tool that provides the public with important information about pollutants that are released into local waterways.  The discharge monitoring report pollutant loading tool brings together millions of records and allows for easy searching and mapping of water pollution by local area, watershed, company, industry sector and pollutant.  The public can use this new tool to protect their health and the health of their communities.

Water is focus of writing and arts contest

Posted Wed, 2012/02/01 - 12:01pm by RCAP

EPA invites the public to submit creative projects to the 6th annual Rachel Carson intergenerational “Sense of Wonder” contest.  There are four categories: photography, essay, poetry and dance.  This year, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the contest will focus on a “Sense of Water.”  Contest submissions are encouraged to focus on the various properties of water – how it sounds, feels, tastes and looks – and what water means to the entrants.