United States Office of Water EPA 832-F-99-OST
Environmental Protection (4204) October 1999
Agency Washington, DC 20460
Baseline Information on Small
Community Wastewater Needs
and Financial Assistance
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EPA
tr**
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
(4204)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 832-F-99-057-
October 1999
Baseline Information on Small
Community Wastewater Needs
and Financial Assistance
Over the past 25 years EPA has
made significant strides in
addressing the wastewater
treatment needs of communi-
ties across the United States.
But EPA recognizes enormous
wastewater treatment needs
remain—especially in small
communities. EPA's 1996
Clean Water Needs Survey
estimated that small communi-
ties need $13.8 billion to com-
ply with the Clean Water Act
by the year 2016.
EPA Clean Water
Needs Survey
U.S. Census
EPA State
Revolving
Fund
J' USDA Rural
Utilities Service
OWM defines small communities as those that
have 10,000 or fewer people.
To focus more attention on the wastewater needs
in small communities, the Office of Wastewater
Management (OWM), Municipal Support
Division formed the Small Underserved
Communities Team in 1997. One of the goals
of the Team was to develop baseline information
on the wastewater treatment needs of these
communities and to determine the level of
financial assistance provided to date.
OWM's Small Underserved Communities Team
contacted over 50 organizations (including state
agencies, nonprofit organizations, and national
professional associations) to identify existing data
sources.
The Team's research revealed that state level
information, in computerized format, was only
available from four sources—U.S. Census, USDA
database, EPA's 1996 Needs Survey and Clean
Water SRF databases. Data relating to small
community population, housing units, plumbing
facilities, wastewater disposal methods and
financial assistance were compiled.
The Team analyzed each data source and summa-
rized highlights in one of four fact sheets listed on
next page.
Findings,..
The information shows that while considerable
effort has been made to address the wastewater
needs of small communities, significant needs
remain.
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/ More than the 70 percent of the nation's housing
units that lack complete plumbing are in small
communities.
/ Nearly 1 million housing units in small
communities still use outhouses or privies
for sewage disposal.
/ Over 19 million housing units in small
communities use septic tanks or cesspools
as the primary source of treatment.
/ More than $5 billion have been provided to small
community wastewater treatment projects through
the EPA Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)
since 1998.
/ About $2.8 billion of assistance has been
provided by the USDA RUS waste disposal and
grant program to small community wastewater
projects between 1992 and 1998.
The information collected through this study
can be used by federal, state and local agencies to
provide needed financial and technical assistance
to small communities. EPA's goal is to help them
achieve adequate and cost effective wastewater
treatment systems.
List of Fact Sheets...
• The 1990 U.S. Decennial Census of
Housing and Population.
Quantifies wastewater treatment practices
for small communities across the country
(EPA 832-F-99-060)
• The 1996 Clean Water Needs Survey.
Estimates the funding States would require
to bring small communities into compliance
with the Clean Water Act
(EPA 832-F-99-058)
• The USDA Rural Utilities Service.
Contains data on small community
infrastructure needs and loan and grants
assistance
(EPA 832-F-99-059)
• The EPA Clean Water State Revolving
Fund.
Contains information on SRF funding levels
for small community wastewater projects
(EPA 832-F-99-057)
OWM's Small Underserved
Communities Team's Mission
To administer programs through which
small underserved communities can
access information, financial and tech-
nical assistance to achieve adequate
and cost-effective wastewater systems
Additional copies of this summary and the above fact sheets may be obtained by contacting the Office of Water Resources Center in EPA
at (202) 260-7786. {'lease refer to the appropriate EPA document number. You may also visit our Website
(http://www.epa.gov/OWM/smallc.htm) to obtain copies of these documents.
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