EPA awards $430,000 to rural North Dakota safe drinking water access

U.S. EPA Provides Additional Funding for Water Access Project in Rural North Dakota

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allocated additional funding for a project aimed at providing water access to rural communities in North Dakota. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has received $430,000 in addition to the $280,000 it had already received for the project. Bryan Schmitt, an environmental engineer with the department, stated that this funding is for the Tri-County Water District project.

Connecting Rural Communities with Regulated Water Sources

The Tri-County Water District project aims to connect individuals who currently haul water or rely on wells with a regulated water source. The funding will be used for equipment and the installation of pipelines to connect these individuals with the Tri-County Water District, which serves Walsh, Nelson, and Grand Forks counties, as well as a portion of Ramsey County.

Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grant Program

The funding for this project comes from the Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water grant program. This program specifically targets small, underserved, or disadvantaged areas with a population of less than 10,000. The coverage area of the Tri-County Water District fits within this criteria.

Timeline and Implementation

The Tri-County Water District project is currently in the planning stage. Bryan Schmitt expects that the project will commence in the spring of 2024 and be completed by the fall of the same year.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The article discusses a project that aims to bring water access to rural North Dakotans. This aligns with SDG 6, which focuses on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
• Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity

The project mentioned in the article aims to connect rural residents who currently haul water or rely on wells with a regulated water source. This aligns with Target 6.1, as it seeks to provide safe and affordable drinking water to all individuals. Additionally, by connecting these residents to a regulated water source, the project contributes to Target 6.4 by promoting sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
• Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, Indicator 6.1.1 can be used to measure progress towards Target 6.1 by assessing the proportion of the population that has access to safely managed drinking water services. Indicator 6.4.1 can be used to measure progress towards Target 6.4 by tracking changes in water-use efficiency over time.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: grandforksherald.com

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