Real Water Technical Assistance EFC

aerial view of a water treatment plant

EPA's Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) initiative was created to ensure communities have access to the hands-on support they need to maintain safe, reliable, and sustainable water services.

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Clarifier at a water treatment plant

Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA)

Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) is an EPA initiative that provides communities with practical, no-cost assistance to address water and wastewater infrastructure challenges, improve compliance, build capacity, and access funding opportunities.

The Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University is proud to be an EPA-designated RealWaterTA provider for EPA Region 7. Through this role, we work directly with communities to deliver technical, managerial, and financial assistance that supports reliable water services, stronger utilities, and healthier communities

Technical Assistance Examples

Identifying, planning, and finding infrastructure project funding for new and upgraded infrastructure, emerging contaminants, and lead service lines. We also offer utility asset management assistance, training, professional development, utility rate-setting and financial planning, and utility management workshops for decision-makers.

 

RealWater TA Fact

The Environmental Finance Center is one of several national technical assistance resources offered throuigh EPA's RealWaterTA initiative, helping communities turn water infrastructure challenges into actionable projects and funding opportunities.

Click Here to Request Water Technical Assistance for Your Water SystemRealWaterTA Initiatives

What is RealWaterTA?

EPA's RealWaterTA program provides free technical assistance to help communities with small water systems access funding, meet compliance requirments, and plan improvements. Many small communities face significant barriers to building and maintaining effective wastewater treatment services, including:

Some communities face additional barriers, including:

The goal of EPA’s RealWaterTA initiative is to connect water systems with organizations that provide support and funding to help maintain compliance with federal water regulations.

Technical Assistance with RealWaterTA

SRF and Funding Applications
  • System compliance assessments
  • SRF application support and assistance
  • Project needs assessment
  • Cost estimates
  • Preliminary engineering reports (PERs)
Technical, Managerial, and Financial (TMF) Capacity
  • Rate assessment, rate-setting, and finance training
  • Operator certification and training
  • Asset management training and planning
  • Identifying financial resources
  • Capacity assessments, succession, and pipeline planning
  • Capital Improvement Planning
  • Board and Council Training
  • RFP, bid, and procurement support
  • Developing Emergency Response Plans
  • Financial auditing 
Compliance Assistance
  • NPDES permits and requirements
  • Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) compliance
  • Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance
  • NEPA review and assessment
  • Lead and Copper Rule guidance and planning support
Addressing Specific Contaminant Assistance
  • Disinfection byproducts
  • Emerging contaminants
  • Influent/effluent flow measurements
  • Sludge monitoring and assessment via remote sonar boat detection
  • Lead service line assessment and framework plan development

 

Request Assistance

To request RealWaterTA, please visit the RealWaterTA Request Form.

If you need assistance finding or navigating this form, please contact EPA at RealWaterTA@epa.gov or the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University at Baylee.Vieyra@wichita.edu.

For general questions regarding RealWaterTA, please contact the EPA Region 7 Coordinator, Jena C. Adkisson, at adkisson.jena@epa.gov.

Request Assistance

 

EFC Contact: Baylee Vieyra, Associate Director, Environmental Finance Center, Wichita State University, baylee.vieyra@wichita.edu, (316) 978-6921

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under an assistance agreement to Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. The contents of this webpage do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the Environmental Protection Agency endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document, as well as any images, video, text, or other content created by generative artificial intelligence tools, nor does any such content necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency.