USDA Rural Development Announces $40 Million to Support Technical Assistance, Training to Protect, Improve Rural Water and Waste Disposal Systems

(Washington, D.C., September 28, 2026) - U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Administrator Karl Elmshaeuser announced today $40 million to support technical assistance and training for rural water and wastewater systems across the nation.

"Creating access to technical assistance and training supports President Trump's initiative to strengthen rural economies and empower our nation's agricultural producers," said Administrator Elmshaeuser. "The awards announced today will ensure American families have access to efficient, reliable water and waste disposal services."

The Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants program helps qualified nonprofits strengthen eligible rural water and waste disposal systems by helping prepare applications for critical funding, training board members and system operators, improving daily operation and maintenance and more.

USDA Rural Development is awarding Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants to the following organizations:

National Rural Water Association (NRWA) will receive $22 million to administer technical assistance to eligible water and wastewater systems, with a strong focus on operations, maintenance and energy efficiency.

"The National Rural Water Association is proud to continue providing essential technical assistance and training to our nation's small and rural utilities through the partnership with USDA Rural Development," said NRWA Chief Executive Officer Matthew Holmes. "As the only federal agency dedicated to serving rural America, millions of rural residents directly benefit from the services provided through these grants."

Rural Community Assistance Partnership Inc. (RCAP) will receive $11 million to work directly with eligible rural communities, including Colonias and Tribes, to deliver interactive training, implement system mapping and asset inventory services, teach sustainable utility management and more.

"We thank USDA Rural Development for its continued investment in critical technical assistance services. RCAP's local providers work hand-in-hand with rural communities to plan, build and operate water utilities," said RCAP Chief Executive Officer Olga Pate Morales. "Together, we share a mission: strong, sustainable systems that deliver clean, safe, and affordable water for generations to come."

National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) - a first-time recipient of USDA Rural Development funding - will receive $2.3 million to identify, diagnose, and resolve water and waste disposal problems in rural areas where centralized sewer systems are either unavailable or financially unfeasible.

"This funding allows NOWRA to put trained technical assistance professionals directly into small, economically disadvantaged rural communities to resolve failing septic and decentralized wastewater systems," said NOWRA Executive Director Thomas Groves. "We're grateful for USDA Rural Development's partnership in protecting public health and helping these communities reach lasting, sustainable water infrastructure solutions."

An additional $5.5 million in funded projects will support organizations headquartered in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, New York and West Virginia. Overall, small and remote organizations in all 50 states and U.S. territories will receive support for managing and maintaining healthy water and wastewater systems.

The next application window for the Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants program will open on October 1, 2026, and close on December 31, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/water-waste-disposal-technical-assistance-training-grants.

For more information on USDA Rural Development investments in rural America, visit the Rural Data Gateway. The Rural Data Gateway is an online tool that strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making RD's investment data accessible to the public. For more information about USDA Rural Development programs, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

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