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Morales named EPA working group member

Olga Morales
Photo taken by Sharon Wills

Olga Morales, RCAC environmental rural development specialist, has been named a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Ready Water Utilities Working Group. The group will evaluate the concept of “Climate Ready Water Utilities” and provide recommendations to the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC). The end result will enable water and wastewater utilities to develop and implement long-range plans that account for climate change impacts. Morales also is a member of the NDWAC, representing small communities.

“Being part of this team is an honor but it’s also a great responsibility. As the earth’s climate continues to change, with all the historical data, identifiable trends and scientific models, our crystal ball is not enough to help us predict how it will affect our small utilities,” Olga Morales said. “I’m looking forward to working with this group to develop recommendations for the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC) that will assist water and wastewater systems across the nation deal with climate change challenges.” 

At RCAC, Morales provides technical assistance and training to small rural water systems throughout southern New Mexico. She was instrumental in helping to develop and pass into law House Bill 185, an initiative that enabled five small New Mexico water systems to merge and form a regional system. She recently received an outstanding service award from Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), which is a national service delivery network of six regional partners with a national office in Washington, D.C. Award recipients are RCAP staff who repeatedly go above and beyond the call of duty in serving their communities. RCAC is the Western RCAP.

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