The agreement provides funding to the rural community assistance partnership, INC

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Water awarded Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated (RCAP) a $17.26 million Project Grant under the Technical Assistance for Treatment Works program (CFDA 66.446) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. This three-year award provides comprehensive training and technical assistance to rural, small, and tribal municipalities and their wastewater treatment systems across four priority areas: (1) assisting communities in planning and securing Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) financing; (2) providing compliance and water quality protection assistance to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and decentralized wastewater systems; (3) delivering tribal-specific management, regulatory, and financing guidance; and (4) disseminating information on operating and managing decentralized wastewater treatment systems in underserved communities.

RCAP delivers these services nationwide, including U.S. territories and tribal lands, through a network of regional sub-awardees including Midwest Assistance Program Inc., Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Communities Unlimited Inc., Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project Inc., Rcap Solutions Inc., and University of Illinois. The sub-awardees provide direct technical assistance to small POTWs and decentralized systems; in-person and virtual training to operators and managers; asset management planning; and capacity-building initiatives focused on technical, managerial, and financial improvement. The National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association and National Environmental Health Association support the initiative by developing specialized training materials and asynchronous courses for regulatory officials managing decentralized wastewater systems, including gamified and interactive components to enhance engagement and knowledge retention.

To deliver training and technical assistance across four priority areas: (1) supporting rural, small, and/or tribal municipalities in planning, developing, and securing financing for activities eligible under the clean water state revolving fund (cwsrf); (2) assisting rural, small, and/or tribal publicly owned treatment works, municipalities, and decentralized wastewater systems in improving water quality and achieving and maintaining compliance with water quality standards; (3) providing guidance on management, regulatory compliance, and financing options for tribal communities; and (4) disseminating information related to management, compliance, and financing for decentralized wastewater treatment systems in rural, small, and/or tribal communities. Activities:the activities will support small publicly owned treatment works (potws), onsite/decentralized systems, lagoon systems, and other clean water state revolving fund (cwsrf)-eligible projects serving communities most in need across the united states, including U.S. Territories and tribal areas. Under priority area 1 (acquisition of finance/funding), the rural community assistance partnership (rcap) will collaborate with its partners to improve compliance and long-term financial sustainability by leveraging infrastructure funds and enhancing public and environmental health and water quality. Under priority area 2 (protect water quality and compliance assistance), the goal is to strengthen compliance and financial sustainability, ultimately improving public health, environmental health, and water quality in rural/small communities nationwide, including territories and tribal areas. For priority area 3 (tribal systems), rcap and its partners will focus on tribal lands in up to 24 states, working to enhance compliance, financial sustainability, and access to infrastructure funding, thereby improving water quality and public health outcomes. Under priority area 4 (decentralized systems), rcap and its partners will support the improvement of onsite/decentralized system operation and maintenance (oandm), promote the adoption of best practices, and leverage infrastructure funding where appropriatemdash; all with the aim of improving public and environmental health and water quality in communities most in need across the U.S., its territories, and tribal regions. Subrecipient:subawardees will use their funding to support activities related to technical assistance, training, outreach, and information sharing. Outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include development of training and technical assistance programs. The anticipated outcomes include an increased number of: 1) communities that receive federal funding for cwsrf eligible projects; 2) communities with stronger financial, technical, and managerial capacity that understand water quality standards and how to achieve compliance with those standards; 3) tribes that understand water quality compliance and how to develop financial capacity to maintain their wastewater systems; and, 4) communities that understand decentralized system maintenance requirements and how to develop financial capacity to maintain these systems. The intended beneficiaries include individuals who participate in the program, the general public, and rural/small communities.