Upcoming:
What: Rural Homecoming
When: Fall 2020
Where: Rural Communities
An annual event held occurring in mid-October, Rural Homecoming is an opportunity for rural communities to participate in a national celebration, and to invite their friends and family to celebrate what makes rural so special. An updated toolkit will be made available soon with virtual options to participate in Rural Homecoming.
What: RCAP Webinar - Wastewater Collection Systems Basics (1.5 Hours)
When: 12/15/20, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET
Where: Virtual
Please plan to attend this 1.5-hour webinar featuring 3 presentations from technical assistance providers working with communities. This webinar will review wastewater collection system basics including operation and maintenance, methods to check for inflow and infiltration, and best management practices for these systems. A certificate of attendance will be issued to webinar participants for 1.5 hours (generated for active participation via GoToWebinar).
1. “Collection System Basics” by Pablo Figueroa, Regional Environmental Manager (Arizona), and Jason Carman, Rural Development Specialist (Oregon), Regional RCAC (Rural Community Assistance Corporation):
"Basic operation of wastewater collection systems including gravity design, scouring velocity, jetting/rodding, and lift station maintenance."
2. “Attacking I&I - Smoke Testing in a Connected World" by Joe Lawrie, Senior Rural Development Specialist (Ohio), GLCAP (Great Lakes Community Action Partnership):
"Brief review of methods to check for I&I (inflow & infiltration) with a case-study of the smoke testing methodology used with map-centric data collection and report generation."
3. “Collection System Best Management Practices” by Cesario Vela, Community Environmental Management Specialist (Texas), CU (Communities Unlimited):
"Summary of best management practices for wastewater collection systems including sewer mapping, hydraulic modeling, flow and rainfall monitoring, fats, oil, and grease (FOG) program, collection system maintenance program, sewer system condition assessment and rehabilitation program, and contingency and emergency response plans."
What: RCAP Webinar - Drinking Water Compliance - Maintaining Operations During the Pandemic
When: 1/11/21, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual
This webinar would discuss experiences in addressing COVID at small water systems and assistance available to maintain operations. Speakers will address: Resources for operators, modifying operations to improve operator safety, obtaining personnel protective equipment, challenges in obtaining a certified operator, and a small business toolkit to take advantage of COVID relief programs.
What: RCAP Webinar - Maintaining Water Service: How to Identify Risks and Respond to Emergencies
When: 1/26/21, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual
As the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us, drinking water utilities face unexpected events that can threaten to disrupt water service. While we cannot prevent natural disasters and emergencies from occurring, utilities can act to lessen their impact and to keep the water flowing. This webinar will describe how you can assess the risks your utility faces from both natural disasters and man-made threats. The webinar will explain what steps you can take to mitigate these potential threats. The webinar will also summarize how to establish strategies, plans, and procedures to respond to an incident when it occurs. Under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, all water systems serving 3,300 people or more are required to complete these Risk and Resilience Assessments and Emergency Response Plans in 2021. The webinar will identify free templates and resources developed by RCAP and by EPA that you can use to complete these requirements, and RCAP staff will share their experiences of working with communities on emergency response.
What: RCAP 2021 Fly-In
When: February 22-25, 2021
Where: Virtual
RCAP staff and rural community members from across the country will meet virtually with elected representatives and agency staffers to discuss issues facing rural America. Click here for more information, including the draft agenda.
What: RCAP 2021 National Conference
When: August 16-19, 2021
Where: Chicago, Illinois, or virtual
The RCAP National Conference is an opportunity for technical assistance providers from across the country to gather together and discuss common challenges, issues and opportunities faced in rural communities. More information to come.
ADVOCATE
COLLABORATE
EDUCATE
Drop of Knowledge
Maine’s E-Learning Initiatives
By: Kathy Rodgers, RCAP Solutions Maine State Lead RCAP Solutions is the Northeastern RCAP region serving all six New England states, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maine’s RCAP team is part of an internal technology working group to host and moderate trainings in GoToTraining, a web platform used
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Straight from the TAP – Lisa Totten
Lisa Totten is a Senior Rural Development Specialist for the Great Lakes Rural Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) in Wisconsin. She has been with the organization since April, 2010. Prior to GLCAP, Lisa obtained Economic Development training through the National Development Center. She has also worked as a Business Manager, and Controller in the past. When
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RCAP Praises EPA’s Proposed Financial Capability Assessment for Clean Water Act
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposed 2020 Financial Capability Assessment (FCA) for Clean Water Act (CWA) schedule development. The revised CFA, used to evaluate a system’s financial capability for water infrastructure projects and improvements, will seek to support rural and tribal water systems serving economically disadvantaged communities. The updates include
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Exploring Water, Health Infrastructure, Resilience and Learning (WHIRL) By: Shawn P. McElmurry, Ph.D., P.E. Associate Professor Wayne State University Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering Editor’s note: McElmurry is a contributing author for Drop of Knowledge and leader of a collaborative research project exploring the intersection of drinking water and public health. RCAP is working
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Straight from the TAP – Josh Jabalera
Josh Jabalera is a Project Manager for the Midwest Assistance Program (MAP) in Montana. He has employed with MAP for over five years. Prior to MAP, Josh previously operated multiple rural water systems throughout Montana in various capacities. Water has been a life long passion for him and is fulfilled by working with water systems
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Rural Matters Summer 2020
See below for the Summer 2020 issue of Rural Matters! This issue is focused on solid waste management assistance provided across the RCAP network, looking at best practice from technical assistance providers, a solid waste management success story, safety tips and more.
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RCAP Network Expands Trainings to Virtual Environment
For the past 46 years the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) a national network of non-profit organizations, has provided technical assistance, training, resources and support to rural communities, tribal lands and territories. RCAP trainings from four decades ago, however, look dramatically different from those of today, especially as RCAP strives to provide communities and small water and wastewater utilities the same, high-quality
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Straight from the TAP – John Van den Bergh
John Van den Bergh is a Rural Development Specialist for Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) in Nevada. He has been employed with RCAC for four years. Prior to RCAC, John owned and worked at his own construction company for 20 years, which provided grading, utility, and road construction. Following that position, he began working as
Read MoreRCAP Secures 40,000 Masks for Essential Utility Workers in Rural Communities
Sourcing and donating personal protective equipment to protect frontline workers providing drinking water, sanitation services and solid waste services in their communities July 27, 2020 – Washington, DC – The Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc. (RCAP) today announced it is sourcing and donating 40,000 N95 masks to frontline water operators in partnership with Xylem Watermark
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