Newsletter #438 - July 21, 2026

RCAP's FY 2025 Impact Report is out! 

A new report from the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) demonstrates the critical role technical assistance plays in helping small and rural utilities access funding, strengthen operations, and deliver reliable water and wastewater services.

In fiscal year 2025, RCAP and its regional partners served 2,622 rural, tribal, and indigenous communities, reaching more than 4.1 million residents across all 50 states and five U.S. territories. Through hands-on assistance, RCAP helped communities secure over $397 million in infrastructure funding awards and submit applications for an additional $835.6 million in projects.

The report highlights a variety of support services that benefited utilities, including asset mapping, rate studies, funding application assistance, operator training, compliance support, and long-term infrastructure planning. RCAP also delivered 567 trainings nationwide, reaching more than 11,500 participants and helping utility staff and operators build the skills needed to manage increasingly complex systems.

In addition, RCAP recently developed several free resources for small systems, including guides on innovative treatment technologies, stormwater program management , asset management, and a course on cybersecurity for water and wastewater utilities.

This report shows that successful infrastructure projects depend on more than funding alone. Communities that have access to technical expertise and capacity-building support are better positioned to secure financing, address operational challenges, and maintain reliable service over the long term.

Need assistance? 

Small and rural communities can connect with RCAP's network of regional partners for technical assistance related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, funding applications, asset management, operator support, utility planning, and more. 

Learn more and find your regional RCAP partner on RCAP's website.

Register for our upcoming webinar!

Communication Strategies for Wastewater Compliance and Building Public Trust

July 30, 2026 | 10:00 AM CDT

WaterOperator.org

This free webinar provides a practical overview of communication strategies wastewater utilities can use to support compliance and build public trust. Participants will explore common communication challenges faced by utilities and learn about publicly available resources for improving public communication, notification, and engagement. The session also includes a demonstration of our free search tools at WaterOperator.org to find additional free resources and training events.

This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality.

Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request. Check with your certification body for acceptance criteria.

Featured Video

He Left Football for Water—Now He's Tackling The Workforce Crisis

waterloop

"Charles Moore thought his future would be on a football field, not in the water industry. But a simple piece of advice from his mother changed the course of his life: "Go work in the water industry. We'll always need water." Today, Moore is focused on one of the biggest challenges facing utilities across the country: who will lead the workforce of tomorrow.

With many experienced operators, supervisors, and executives approaching retirement, Columbus is taking action before the knowledge gap becomes a crisis. The utility has launched apprenticeship programs, partnered with local high schools, expanded mentoring opportunities, and created pathways for employees to explore leadership roles and advance their careers.

Internally, shadowing, one-on-one coaching, and additional training are helping employees see opportunities they may not have considered. Externally, outreach efforts are introducing young people to the wide range of careers available in water—from field operations to leadership positions.

Moore believes workforce development isn't just about filling vacancies. It's about inspiring the next generation to see water as a meaningful career with purpose, stability, and impact.

His message is simple: talk to someone about water. The future of the industry may depend on it."

EPA, States, and Water Sector Partners Focus on Accelerating Infrastructure Funding

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently convened a first-of-its-kind roundtable with states, water utilities, technical assistance providers, and small communities to identify ways to accelerate drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure investments. The discussion focused on challenges that can delay project implementation and explored practical solutions to help communities access funding more efficiently.

The roundtable centered on improving delivery of funding through programs such as the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs), the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, and the Emerging Contaminants in Small and Disadvantaged Communities grant program. Since their creation, the SRF programs alone have provided more than $265 billion to support approximately 76,000 water infrastructure projects nationwide.

Several actions emerged from the meeting, including EPA's commitment to develop an online resource toolbox for funding recipients and lenders, and to establish collaborative workgroups with states, water sector organizations, and technical assistance providers. These efforts are intended to reduce barriers, share best practices, and help communities move projects from planning to construction more quickly. 

The conversation also highlighted the unique challenges facing small and rural systems. According to the National Rural Water Association, more than 92% of community water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people, yet these communities often face disproportionately high infrastructure needs and limited financial capacity. Participants emphasized that improving access to affordable financing and technical assistance will be critical to ensuring federal investments reach the communities that need them most.

For utility leaders and water professionals, the roundtable highlights ongoing efforts to make federal water infrastructure funding more accessible and efficient. The planned resources and partnerships could help communities better navigate funding programs, reduce project delays, and move critical infrastructure improvements forward.

Tap Talk

Building the Future Workforce with Rural Water Apprentices

Next up on Tap Talk, we are welcoming Shannan Walton, the National Rural Water Association‘s Director of Workforce Development, to the show. At NRWA, Shannan has been integral in running the organization’s successful NRWA Apprenticeship Program for training new operators across the country. Listen to her conversation with Steve and Jennifer to learn all about the history, development, and the future of this program, as well as Shannan’s thoughts on what else we can do to bring young people into the water industry.

Featured Video

The Pressure Behind Every EPA Water Decision

waterloop

"Water regulations often appear as final rules, permit decisions, or funding announcements. What the public rarely sees is the years of negotiation, technical analysis, legal review, and leadership required to get there. 

Former EPA Office of Water leaders Anna Wildeman and Bruno Pigott offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at how one of the federal government's most influential water offices actually operates—from managing large teams of career staff to navigating pressure from courts, Congress, states, the White House, utilities, and environmental groups. Their discussion revealed the complexity of turning scientific understanding and policy goals into practical regulations that communities can implement."

Topics covered in this video include:

• Leading EPA's Office of Water 
  

• Managing Teams and Building Trust 
  

• Why Water Regulations Take So Long 
  

• Navigating Politics, Science, and Policy 
  

• State Innovation and Federal Oversight 
  

• The Growing Momentum Behind Water Reuse 
  

• Infrastructure, Affordability, and Future Demand 
  

• Leadership Lessons from EPA 
  

• The Future of U.S. Water Policy and Water Security

Featured Events

In the News

• Cal/OSHA Warns Employers to Address Southern California Heat | Occupational Health & Safety
• SpaceX McGregor site overpumped wells, records show | The Waco Bridge
• Curved tunnel solves San Antonio sewer project's toughest challenge | Underground Construction
• EPA awards $3.6 million to small businesses developing environmental technologies |  Wastewater Digest
• Central Iowa Water Works' nitrate removal facility breaks record for number of days run in a year | We Are Iowa
• Water treatment facility marks a new era in Belt Creek's rust-colored history | Montana Public Radio
• What PFAS Taught Us About Preparing for the Next Emerging Contaminant | WaterWorld
• IL bill requiring data on PFAS in wastewater, biosolids awaits Pritzker's approval | WAND News
• Gelita USA opens new wastewater treatment plant near Sergeant Bluff after years of violations | KTIV
• Lake Powell reaching critically low elevation levels, nearing 'dead power pool,' experts say | ABC News
• How Are Municipalities Faring When it Comes to Condition Assessment | Trenchless Technology

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