The agreement provides funding to colorado department of public health and environment (cdphe) in partnership with the rural community assistance corporation (rcac)

The recipient will conduct a regionalization stakeholder process and pilot study to spur small drinking water and wastewater systems in rural, underserved areas of colorado to regionally collaborate. Small water and wastewater systems in underserved rural communities often lack resources to effectively comply with health-based drinking water standards and wastewater discharge standards due to technical, managerial, and financial (TMF) barriers. Regionalization of functions across multiple small water systems can help overcome these TMF barriers by allowing the systems to share resources. Phase 1 of this project launches a regionalization effort by first conducting an inclusive stakeholder process to identify regions that can benefit most from regionalization by seeking input from rural water systems across colorado. Phase 2 of this project is a pilot effort studying and initiating regionalization opportunities in areas identified as being most ripe to benefit from regionalization.activities:the activities include .conducting a regionalization stakeholder process and pilot study to spur small drinking water and wastewater systems in rural, underserved areas of colorado to regionally collaborate. Small water and wastewater systems in underserved rural communities often lack resources to effectively comply with health-based drinking water standards and wastewater discharge standards due to technical, managerial, and financial (TMF) barriers. Regionalization of functions across multiple small water systems can help overcome these TMF barriers by allowing the systems to share resources. Phase 1 of this project launches a regionalization effort by first conducting an inclusive stakeholder process to identify regions that can benefit most from regionalization by seeking input from rural water systems across colorado. Phase 2 of this project is a pilot effort studying and initiating regionalization opportunities in areas identified as being most ripe to benefit from regionalization. Statutory authority citation: consolidated appropriations act, 2023, public law 117-328SUBRECIPIENT:outreach and education to DI community water and wastewater systems across the state regarding benefits and opportunities for collaboration. Identifying regions ripe for benefit from regionalization. Provide technical assistance and direct support to water systems to identify specific needs and opportunities. The subaward will also allow for the implementation of the water leadership institute workshop series in targeted areas and support system leadership to identify and progress towards beneficial collaborative relationships and to interpret results of feasibility studies. Outreach and education to various decision-makers at the state-level regarding policy, funding or legislation that can support inclusive regionalization and identifying specific advocacy opportunities.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include identification of areas to target with further regionalization efforts; direct technical assistance (TA) and support to water systems to their communities, and regional collaboratives; conduct 2-3 water leadership institutes; conduct master planning/feasibility studies ; facilitation of conversations with state-level partners regarding regionalization enabling environment; identification of specific policy change recommendations. The intended beneficiaries include. Low-income communities and communities of color in rural regions of colorado that are served by small, under-resourced drinking water and wastewater systems. Rural regions that will be the focus of this project have a high concentration of DI communities that face cumulative impacts and include vulnerable populations such as the western slope, SAN luis valley, and southeastern colorado (including but not