US EPA to fund small water infrastructure projects

 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide $15m in funding to help small drinking and wastewater systems to improve infrastructure related services across the country.

About $14.5m of the funding will be allocated to provide training and technical assistance to small public water systems to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The assistance will also be provided to small publicly-owned wastewater systems, communities served by on-site systems, and private well owners to improve water quality.

About $500,000 is expected to assist tribally-owned and operated public water systems.

The federal agency has said that many small water systems face challenges which include lack of financial resources, aging infrastructure, management limitations and high staff turnover

EPA also reported the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, made up of 11 federal agencies, has launched the Urban Waters Ambassadors programme in a bid to revitalise the nation’s urban waterways across the communities.

Launched in seven cities, the initiative will accelerate and coordinate on-the-ground projects that are critical to improving water quality and public health, restoring forest resources and fostering community stewardship in urban watersheds.

The Urban Waters Ambassadors programme will work with state and local governments, non-governmental organisations and other local partners.

The initiative sponsored by the EPA, the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of the Interior will help local partners identify existing federal tools and resources available for the local pilot project.

The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is aligned to the US government’s America’s great outdoors initiative.

Image: EPA’s funding will help the small drinking water systems provide improved water services across the country. Photo: winnond.