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Training and Assistance for Rural, Small and Tribal Water and Wastewater Systems

Aerial view of a water treatment plant with three circular clarifier tanks filled with water surrounded by green grass

Learn More or Contact Us

Learn more about these and other services offered through our partner network!

Contact:
John Colclazier
Program Manager
Environmental Finance Center
Wichita State University
(316) 978-7470
john.colclazier@wichita.edu

Who We Help

- Small water systems
- Small wastewater systems
- Rural communities
- Tribal communities
- U.S. Territories
- Navajo Nation

 

Training and Assistance for Small Water and Wastewater Systems

Southwest EFC

The Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University, in partnership with the Southwest Environmental Finance Center at the University of New Mexico, offers tailored training and technical assistance for rural, small, and tribal water and wastewater utilities, funded by the EPA. Our program provides essential support to these communities, helping them navigate compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, assess aging infrastructure, and secure vital federal funding.

By enhancing the technical, managerial, and financial capabilities of water and wastewater treatment systems, we aim to help utilities improve their finances, operations build support from leadership and customers that ultimately protects public health and the environment.

Support for Water Utilities Who Need it Most

Across the country, many small and rural communities continue to face serious challenges, from a rapidly retiring water workforce and chronic staffing shortages to a growing crisis of aging infrastructure, where pipe breaks and system failures are becoming more frequent and costly.

Thanks to funding through two EPA grant programs, Training and Technical Assistance for Small Systems and the Training and Technical Assistance Program for Rural, Small, and Tribal Wastewater Systems, the EFC continues to help communities overcome barriers through practical, tailored support that strengthens local capacity, builds confidence in decision-making,and promotes financially and operationally sound utility management.

Training and Technical Assistance for Small Systems

This project seeks to address the challenges facing the nation’s smallest drinking water and wastewater systems (those serving 10,000 or fewer people or wastewater systems treating 1 million gallons per day or less), with the goal of meeting technical, financial, and managerial (TMF) needs.

Learn More About our Training and TA for Small Water Systems Project

Training and Technical Assistance for Rural, Small, and Tribal Wastewater Systems

This program offers vital technical assistance and training to enhance the operations and management practices of rural, small, and Tribal wastewater systems. As EPA-designated Clean Water RST technical assistance providers, we collaborate with partners to help municipalities and governments secure the financing needed for crucial infrastructure improvements.

Our focus is on building the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of both centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment systems to ensure they operate effectively, safeguard water quality, and comply with regulatory standards. 

How These Projects Help Small Water and Wastewater Systems

Through these programs, our team provides free assistance to small, rural and Tribal water and wastewater systems across the country to address challenges ranging from asset management and rate-setting to water loss reduction and conservation, and management topics like workforce development and stakeholder communication.

We provide our resources and information via our:

Practical Resources, Designed for Small Communities

"Thank you very much for reaching out to me and our system, with this excellent and helpful webinar. If we are able to implement even ½ of the things I learned about tonight, that will be a start in the right direction; the future of our water [utility] depends on such information."

- Local Elected Official

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreements to Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. The contents of this webpage do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the Environmental Protection Agency endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document, as well as any images, video, text, or other content created by generative artificial intelligence tools, nor does any such content necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency.

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