AWWA and RCAP renew partnership to strengthen water services for small and rural communities

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) today announced the renewal of their Cooperative Agreement, reaffirming their commitment to collaborate on improving water infrastructure and services for small and rural communities across the United States. 

This renewed agreement builds upon a long-standing partnership between the two organizations, leveraging their combined expertise and resources to address critical water challenges faced by rural communities. The partnership will focus on providing technical assistance, training and advocacy support to enhance water system management, promote community resilience, and ensure the protection of public health and the environment. 

“AWWA is pleased to continue our enduring collaboration with RCAP to support the needs of rural communities across the United States,” said Barb Martin, AWWA’s director of engineering and technical services. “We look forward to working together to address current challenges, while looking ahead to achieve a sustainable and resilient future for rural communities.” 

The collaboration will also involve knowledge sharing, joint research initiatives, and the development of educational resources to empower water professionals and community leaders. By working together, AWWA and RCAP aim to foster innovation, resilience and equitable solutions in the water sector. 

AWWA and RCAP are actively working together on several initiatives, including: 

• Training: Through RCAP’s National Environmental Finance Center, AWWA is providing training to RCAP’s nationwide network of technical assistance providers on key utility management topics.
• Community Engineering Corps: The Community Engineering Corps program (a partnership program co-founded and co-run by AWWA) and RCAP are working together to support underserved communities with addressing their water and wastewater infrastructure challenges.
• Water 2050: RCAP, with a key focus on regionalization, is actively involved in the next phase of Water 2050, AWWA’s initiative to shape the future of water, ensuring small systems have a voice and are included in the conversation.

“RCAP is excited to continue our long-standing partnership with AWWA for at least the next five years,” said Sarah Buck, RCAP’s chief programs officer. “Our combined resources, expertise, reach and reputation in the water industry will continue to help enable small, rural, and Tribal water systems across the country to provide safe and affordable drinking water and strive for sustainability, resiliency and equity.” 

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Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most vital resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.