West Sacramento, Calif. — Although access to clean water and sanitation may seem among the most basic of essential services, U.S. Census numbers indicate more than 35,500 California households lack complete indoor plumbing, while nationwide the number exceeds 675,000 households or 1.95 million people.
If those numbers seem staggering, consider that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates over the next two decades the nation’s 53,000 community water systems and 21,400 nonprofit water systems will require about $276 billion dollars just to ensure compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Much of that maintenance and upgrade money will come from the federal government itself, but many water systems — especially smaller systems — must locate other sources to help fill funding gaps.
In Sonoma County, the small Kelly Mutual Water Company (KMWC) recently turned to Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) for a $96,000 loan to finance engineering services that will help design, contract, administer and inspect a complete renovation of its 50-year-old water system.
KMWC has secured a $344,000 loan and $281,500 grant from United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA) that will finance the actual overhaul, but receiving that money is contingent upon completion of the engineering design work.
Without the RCAC predevelopment loan, KMWC would be at real risk of being unable to adequately provide water to the retirees and young families who live in the 39 single-family rural Sebastopol homes the modest system supplies.
“Most people don’t realize what an effort it takes to maintain a small water system,” said Mike Flanagan, RCAC’s loan fund director. “Many are run by volunteers and many are in need of assistance. We’re very happy to be able to provide at least some of that assistance.”
Indeed, KMWC’s seven board members receive only token compensation for their efforts. Two licensed distribution operators living in the neighborhood maintain KMWC which includes ensuring the chlorination system works, collecting samples for water quality testing and producing state and federal water quality reports.
“Our distribution system is over 50 years old and living on borrowed time. Each time we have had a leak repaired, the contractor says they are not sure if they will be able to fix the next one because of the condition of the distribution pipes,” explained Bernie Hovden, president of Kelly Mutual Water Company. “Without the RCAC and USDA Rural Utilities Service funding, we would be unable to keep water flowing to our neighborhood.”
According to the EPA, water systems across the country will need the estimated $276 billion in improvement funds to make upgrades in many areas including (in descending order), treatment, storage, source and “other” which includes the newly-critical area of security.
Headquartered in West Sacramento, California, and serving 13 western states, RCAC is a nonprofit agency providing technical assistance, training and financing to rural communities seeking to develop a wide range of local services including, community facilities, affordable housing and water treatment facilities. In 1996, RCAC was designated a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the United States Treasury. RCAC maintains field offices in Ukiah and San Marcos, California.