Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP)
In Illinois the Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) is geared to provide, at no cost, assistance to small, low to moderate income communities in overcoming their water and wastewater problems by working directly with the community and its leaders in determining acceptable and affordable solutions.
Nationally, the Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) is the oldest non-profit organization in the U.S. providing rural areas with program development, training, and on-site technical assistance with rural development issues. Safe drinking water supplies, adequate wastewater treatment, natural resource protection, solid waste management, environmental health, and other rural development issues remain the focus of the Rural Community Assistance Program. Our network includes the RCAP national office, six regional offices with multi-state service areas, and more than 150 field-based rural development specialists at the state and local level in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Illinois is part of the Great Lakes RCAP that includes Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Technical Assistance Providers
The Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) Technical Assistance Providers nationally are experienced rural development specialists including planners and community developers, management and finance specialists, engineers, leadership trainers, certified water and wastewater facility operators, environmental health specialists, economists, researchers, health care professionals, rural policy analysts, lawyers, biologists, chemists, certified landfill operators, housing experts and environmental program managers. This diversity allows the Technical Assistance Providers to meet the specific needs in the rural areas in which they work.
Illinois RCAP Goals
- Implementing the lowest cost, best solution for the community
- Minimizing impacts on low-income households
- Advocating the needs of small rural communities
- Helping communities find affordable solutions to maintain and achieve
- regulatory compliance
- Developing partnerships and collaborative approaches to solving community problems
Illinois RCAP Scope of Services
Planning & Development
- Needs assessments
- Income surveys
- Selecting & hiring engineer
- Determining affordability of water/wastewater systems
- Outline planning processes and completion schedules
- Assisting with securing right-of-ways and easements
- Environmental Assessments
- Safety & Security Vulnerability Assessments
Facilities Development
- Grant & loan application writing
- Water quality testing
- Assist with legal entity formation
- Securing residential users, water purchases, and intergovernmental agreements
- Advise on policies and procedures for operation and maintenance of systems
Capacity Building
- Facilitating community involvement
- Support community participation
- Providing a single point of contact between communities, funders, regulators, and engineers.
Publications
Alternative Wastewater Systems in Illinois
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