What We Do

The National Office

Manages the Network's National Programs

Develops Policy and Position Papers for the RCAP Network

Represents the RCAP Network before Federal Agencies and Congress

Coordinates other Networks in support of RCAP's Mission and Programs

Collaborates with other Organizations and associations on issues of concern to rural communities

In Addition, the National Office Carries Out:

policy development and advocacy on rural issues, especially with respect to community infrastructure

applied research

sharing of knowledge and best practices across the network

promoting dialog to help communities understand the relationship between the environment, public health, and economic viability

visibility-raising activities for RCAP both within the network to promote common work and outside the network with various audiences

representing the RCAP network (and coordinating representatives from RCAP regions) on governmental and nongovernmental committees and workgroups, including issue-focused groups managed by funding agencies

organizing national conferences that offer training and continuing education for staff

Featured Community
Featured TAP
Success Stories

Featured Community

Where: City of Socorro Water and Wastewater Utilities, Socorro, New Mexico

Problem: The Water and Wastewater Utilities has a limited budget. The utilities lacked technical skills to develop an asset management plan.

Solution: RCAC provided technical expertise to start asset inventory and mapping, inventory software, and developed recommendations for hardware, software, and staff training.

Asset management plans are essential for water and wastewater utilities to provide the level of service that their customers deserve. It is also important in properly maintaining the system and budget appropriately. The foundation for an asset management plan is the asset inventory.

The City of Socorro, located in Socorro County in central New Mexico has an estimated population just under 9,000. The Water and Wastewater Utilities serve almost 4,000 connections. Utility managers have made past attempts at beginning asset mapping, but because they did not have the proper equipment, the results were inaccurate. Faced with budget constraints, the city looked to RCAC for assistance.

RCAC assessed the situation and used stimulus funds to develop a plan for the first phase of the asset management plan. RCAC staff worked with utility staff to configure an accurate GPS and collect the information needed about each asset. RCAC provided the utility with a free database to manage the asset inventory and developed an interface to load GPS data into the inventory database. RCAC will develop an initial GIS using the asset data collected by the staff, which the utility will maintain going forward. RCAC helped the utility staff get involved with the New Mexico Environmental Finance Center’s educational programs to promote asset planning. Aware of the current budget situation, RCAC provided low-cost, short-term recommendations of hardware, software, and staff training, as well as suggestions for longer-term investments as the plan matures.

Featured TAP

Meet Bud Mason, Illinois RCAP State Coordinator

Bud is a certified water and wastewater operator in the State of Illinois who began his career in the Summer Youth Employment Program pulling weeds around sewer lagoons and has gone on to spend over 25 years operating and managing water and wastewater systems throughout Illinois.

As an operator with over two decades of experience in the field, Bud knows the difficulties rural communities face. Bud quips, “One of my selling points is the acronym B.U.D. I’ve Been were these folks are at, Understand what they are going through, and can help them Develop a plan to get themselves out of there.”

In his free time he keeps in the good graces of his wife by cutting ample amounts of firewood so she can keep the home fires burning while he’s on the road and volunteers as a Big Brother. Bud explains, “We talk about the shortage of operators, well there is a shortage of role models for a lot of young men out there. If my Little Brother gets half out of it as what I do then he is doing pretty good.”

Check out Bud in our video on wastewater collection.