Rural Community Assistance Partnership

Practical solutions for improving rural communities
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June 2013

Rural Matters 2013 Issue 2 - Rural practices meet public policy as RCAP staff go to Capitol Hill

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:42pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON—Local met federal and practice and public policy came together when RCAP staff from across the country came to Washington, D.C., Feb. 12 to 14 for their annual visits to the offices of their national legislators.

Nearly 40 staff from RCAP’s six regional affiliates made more than 200 visits to their representatives’ and senators’ Capitol Hill offices in a blitz coordinated by the RCAP national office dubbed the fly-in. A number of board members of some RCAP regions and the national RCAP board also participated in the visits.

So, you think you want to build a decentralized wastewater treatment system?

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:28pm by RCAP

By Roberta Acosta

Rural communities across the country struggle to find reasonable and affordable options for wastewater treatment. Daunting capital investments, shrinking federal-assistance programs, increasing operational expenses, and stricter regulations along with a small customer base and geographic isolation make installing a new sewer system seem impossible.

Format: 
Magazine/newsletter (single article)
Topic: 
Operations - technical operations of facilities and infrastructure
Source: 
RCAP
Audience: 
Board/council member
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)
Related Resources: 
Getting Your Project to Flow Smoothly: A Guide to Developing Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

Five things you can do to improve a community through empowerment

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:22pm by RCAP

By Robert P. Britts, P.E.

Format: 
Magazine/newsletter (single article)
Topic: 
Infrastructure
Management
Planning
Board/council
Source: 
RCAP
Audience: 
Board/council member
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)

Rural Matters 2013 issue 2 - EPA survey shows $384 billion needed for drinking water infrastructure by 2030

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:14pm by RCAP

WASHINGTON (EPA)—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on June 4 results of a survey showing that $384 billion in improvements are needed for the nation’s drinking water infrastructure through 2030 for systems to continue providing safe drinking water to 297 million Americans.

Rural Matters 2013 issue 2 - Nation’s infrastructure grade inches up to a D+ on national report card

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:10pm by RCAP

Engineering group’s analysis finds investment and innovative solutions led to improvements in six sectors since 2009

 

Rural Matters 2013 Issue 2 - Rural Developments (news briefs)

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 2:05pm by RCAP

NEWS AND
RESOURCES
FROM THE
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY

Rural Matters 2013 Issue 2 - Director's Letter

Posted Fri, 2013/06/28 - 1:53pm by RCAP

Robert Stewart
RCAP Executive Director
RCAP National Office, Washington, D.C.

Poll of rural voters on economic policy released

Posted Thu, 2013/06/27 - 2:27pm by RCAP

As Congress argues over farm subsidies and food stamps, rural Americans complain that elected officials ignore small communities and fail to invest in their future.

Septic system basics for homeowners, community leaders, planners and realtors

Posted Thu, 2013/06/20 - 2:13pm by RCAP

This article is part one of a three-part article on the basics of septic systems.

Thanks to Candace Balmer, a Water Resource Specialist for RCAP Solutions, the Northeast RCAP, who was the creator of a training presentation from which this article was adapted.

Format: 
Magazine/newsletter (single article)
Topic: 
Operations - technical operations of facilities and infrastructure
Source: 
RCAP
Audience: 
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)

Don’t let a summer drought catch you off-guard

Posted Thu, 2013/06/20 - 2:03pm by RCAP

Summer is fast approaching, and that means hotter, drier weather for many parts of the country. This summer may not repeat the scorching temperatures and widespread drought conditions of last year, but it is best to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you position your water utility for a drought and water shortages.

Planning

Format: 
Magazine/newsletter (single article)
Topic: 
Operations - technical operations of facilities and infrastructure
Planning
Security/emergency-response planning
Conservation
Source: 
RCAP
Audience: 
Operator
Board/council member
Mayor/town manager/elected official (local)
Plant manager