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Eleven communities in the South and Southwest were selected for the pilot program in 2022, and another 150 will be able to apply for assistance, which will be provided on a rolling basis, said Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. ,
More than 2 million people in the US lack indoor plumbing and more live with it failed sewage systems The EPA said this could result in waste accumulating in homes or on the ground, threatening public health and impairing basic dignity.
“For the first time, these communities are going to get an assessment of what the condition of their wastewater infrastructure is. And then they’re going to get a community solutions plan, which will really articulate … what improvements can be made in the most cost-effective way,” Fox said.
Still, “the water infrastructure gap exceeds the resources we have,” and the Biden administration will continue to advocate for more funding, he said.
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Among the first communities to receive assistance was the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona, where two-thirds of homes have septic systems that frequently fail. Fox said the tribe has received funding to pump septic tanks and develop educational materials, and is applying for funding to improve infrastructure.
The city of White Hall in Lowndes County, Alabama has developed wastewater treatment and funding options to address sewage sometimes flowing into yards.
“We are very grateful for where we are at this particular point,” said Katherine Flowers, founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice.
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