84044601

Description: The Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc. (RCAP), in collaboration with its six regional partners, Communities Unlimited (CU), Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP), Midwest Assistance Program (MAP), RCAP Solutions (RSOL), Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), and the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP), collectively, 'RCAP,' will partner with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), the Texas A&M University Cooperative Extension (TAMU), the University of Illinois (U of I), and the Water Systems Council (WSC) to provide training and technical assistance (TA) to owners and managers of private drinking water wells and the stakeholder groups that serve private well owners and/or are charged with protecting public health.

Activities: Work will be accomplished through a diverse set of in-person and remote TA activities, training, and outreach that blends traditional and innovative approaches and concepts. Outputs will include face-to-face and instructor-led online workshops for private well owners, environmental health and private well professionals, and private well stakeholders; private well assessments conducted and well testing kits distributed so well owners can take action on identified weaknesses and/or potential contamination; self-paced eLearning courses for well owners, environmental health professionals, and other stakeholders; current and trusted information provided through a variety of communications channels; on-demand phone assistance through a hotline, online chat assistance, and responses to online well owner questions; a national private well workshop and working group; well owner and stakeholder newsletters and guides; professional presentations; and podcasts, among others.

Subrecipient: RCAP has assembled a team of partner organizations representing a comprehensive cross-section of private well professionals to advance this project. 1) U of I will operate their Private Well Class (PWC) program that includes a self-paced online learning course, webinars, videos, presentations, and direct assistance to well owners (U of I will provide expertise through its groundwater hydrologists, geologists, chemists, and engineers that conduct applied groundwater science research and water testing. U of I will provide training CEUs); 2) NGWA will provide face-to-face education for communities served primarily by private wells and extend their outreach program on wellowner.org through continued maintenance, updated education materials, and distribution of well owner guide booklets (NGWA and its nationwide members represent drillers, scientists, engineers, and other related industry professionals, who will be utilized to assist in and promote this program); 3) WSC will host and deliver their successful well owner phone, email, and chat hotline and call tracking system (WSC and its members represent water well equipment and technology manufacturers that will be a resource for the team during this effort); 4) NEHA will provide a four-hour workshop on private well issues related to climate change, safety, security, and maintenance that will be conducted at the 2023 NEHA Annual Education Conference catering to environmental health and private well professionals, providing CEUs to eligible attendees (NEHA and its members represent environmental health professionals who work with well owners through health departments and other programs, including state affiliate associations. NEHA credentials environmental health professionals, a credential that requires continuing education to maintain); and 5) TAMU will build on their well-respected and comprehensive extension program, extending their existing well owner workshops, education, and outreach to private well owners in Texas.

Outcomes: Through these efforts, RCAP and its assembled partners will achieve numerous outcomes that include, but are not limited to: inc

Rural Community Assistance Partnership

66.424 - Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Training Grants - Section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act

Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD) [EPA - HQ]

Office of Water (OW) [EPA - HQ]

Washington, District Of Columbia 20006-1568 United States

Single Zip Code

None