GUEST COLUMN, Val Ankeny, Center for Rural Affairs
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program is helping rural communities with resources for feasibility studies, preliminary design, and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects.
USDA Rural Development’s Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) program was designed for communities in rural areas of 2,500 or less with limited financial resources. By covering predevelopment costs, the program ensures that communities aren’t left behind simply because they can’t afford the first steps.
The Village of Walthill in Nebraska, pop. 700, recently took advantage of SEARCH and made important steps toward modernizing its water and wastewater systems.
Like many other rural communities, Walthill is facing the challenge of updating its old infrastructure. Issues such as leaks, faulty valves, and older water lines are prevalent.
The SEARCH grant was substantial enough to cover the cost of an engineering planning study that identified the weakest parts of the system along with a cost estimate for repair and replacement.
This study was crucial as many state and federal funding opportunities require detailed preliminary engineering reports before a village can move forward with its application.
Community leaders said this award will be a step in the process of creating a safer, more reliable, and more efficient water system.
Is your community in need of updating its drinking water or waste disposal systems? SEARCH may be a program to consider.
Applications for SEARCH are accepted year round. For more information on SEARCH and related programs, visit rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs.
Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
