환경보호국은 1만명 이하의 사람들에게 제공하는 소형 식수와 폐수 시스템이나 개인 식수 소유주에게 1억2천7백만 달러의 보조금을 지원할 예정이다.

보조금은 소형 시스템 운영과 운영 관리를 향상 시키는 기술 지원과 교육을 제공하고 시스템의 지속가능성을 향상 시키고, 공중 보건과 환경 보호를 위한 업무에 지원 할 것으로 보인다.

National Rural Water Association 와 Rural Community Assistance Partnership의 4천5백만 달러는 전국 소형 공공 용수 시스템을 식용수안전법에 따라 유지하고 성공하도록 돕는다.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill의 2백만 달러는 전국의 소형 공공용수 시스템의 관리 성능과 재정을 향상 시킨다.

National Rural Water Association의 1천4백만 달러는 소형 공유 폐수 시스템의 운전 성능과 분산된 폐수 시스템을 향상 시킴으로 공중 보건과 수질을 향상 시킨다.

Rural Community Assistance Partnership의 30만 달러는 개인 식수 소유주에게 식수 공급 보호와 수질 향상에 대해 알리기 위해 사용한다.

Grants totalling $12.7 million provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will soon be awarded to small drinking and wastewater systems -- those serving fewer than 10,000 people -- and to private well owners. The grantees will provide training and technical assistance to improve small system operations and management practices, promote system sustainability and support EPA's mission to protect public health and the environment.

"Small systems comprise the vast majority of our nation's public water systems, and it is a priority for EPA to help them to meet drinking water quality standards and provide clean water to communities," said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "This funding and technical assistance supports EPA's continuing efforts to promote sustainability and public health protection for communities served by small systems."

The awards will include:

$4.5 million each to the National Rural Water Association and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership to help small public water systems across the country to achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

$2 million to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to improve the financial and managerial capabilities of small public water systems across the country

$1.4 million to the National Rural Water Association to improve operational performance at small publicly-owned wastewater systems and decentralized wastewater systems, thereby improving public health and water quality

$300,000 to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership to inform private drinking water well owners about protecting their drinking water supply and improving water quality

More than 97 percent of the nation's 157,000 public water systems serve fewer than 10,000 people, and more than 80 percent of these systems serve fewer than 500 people. Many small systems face unique challenges in providing reliable drinking water and wastewater services that meet federal and state regulations. These challenges can include a lack of financial resources, aging infrastructure and high staff turnover.

[출처 = Waterworld / 2014년 4월 3일]