New Issue of Rural Matters Magazine Now Available

The new issue of RCAP’s Rural Matters magazine was sent electronically to subscribers today.  Feature stories include a report on our nation’s water infrastructure bill based on a study by American Water Works Association (AWWA) ; an explanation of what hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) is; six things you can do to improve your utility; an editorial discussing the population shifts/trends in rural areas; as well as the latest news and resources from the Environmental Protection Agency.  Download your own PDF copy here, then be sure to visit the RCAP website to subscribe.

Energy Use Assessment Tool Available from the US EPA

A few weeks ago MAP staff conducted an energy audit in Windsor, MO.  The completed audit will contain recommendations for reducing energy costs in their city offices and water and wastewater utilities.  Let’s face it – in this economy, we’re all looking for ways to save money.  SmallWaterSupply.org has posted information on their blog about an easy-to-use tool developed by the US EPA to help small-to-medium sized water and wastewater systems conduct a utility bill and equipment analysis to determine their individual baseline energy use and costs.  This is a great first step before conducting a full-scale energy audit.  You’ll also find a handout you can download that explains Understanding Your Electric Bill, as well as information about an upcoming US EPA webinar that will help you to find out how your system can become more energy-efficient by using this simple tool.

Safe Drinking Water Week proclaimed by Gov. Dayton as health department releases annual report of drinking water in Minnesota

Gov. Mark Dayton declared May 6-12 Safe Drinking Water Week in Minnesota as water professionals and the communities they serve join together to recognize the vital role water plays in people’s daily lives.   In his proclamation, the governor said, “Protecting our sources of drinking water from contamination or overuse is the first step in ensuring a safe water supply. Minnesotans depend on an adequate supply of safe drinking water for their health, quality of life, and economic viability.”  In conjunction with Safe Drinking Water Week, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released its annual drinking water report. Results of monitoring by MDH engineers and public health sanitarians indicate that drinking water is generally in good shape in Minnesota’s 961 community water supply systems.  Click here to read MDH’s News Release in its entirety.

Spring 2012 e-SOURCE Newsletter

MAP’s Spring 2012 issue of the e-SOURCE newsletter has been sent out to our subscribers.  If you’re not on our mailing list, but would like to be, click here to sign-up for future issues.

Welcome to our Blog!

Midwest Assistance Program has a long history of assisting small, low-income rural communities in our 9-state area (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming).  Through this blog we hope to tell our story – and the stories of the communities we work with every day, including upcoming events, informative articles and success stories.  Be sure to “like” us on Facebook to get all the latest news and updates.