Disadvantaged Community Pilot ProjectSierra Water Workgroup Summit

June 2013

California’s North Coast a unique region with a unique identity

• Size of region• Physical and Biotic features

– Intact fisheries and watersheds– Not strongly connected via

infrastructure• Population

– Relatively low, expected to increase• Demographics & Socio-economic trends

– Different lifestyles and outlooks– Financial challenges– Changing economies & opportunities

• Need for regional planning- Similar issues/challenges- Regional cooperation = effectiveness

and more funding resources

A Retrospective:The North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management

Plan

• Started in Fall 2004• Established regional boundary• Convened Policy Review Panel• Convened Technical Peer

Review Committee• Memorandum of Mutual

Understandings (MoMu)• Outreach & Stakeholder

Education• Project Portfolio & Plan

Development

Water and Wastewater Provider Outreach and Technical Assistance

• Background• Workshops and Trainings• Sub-Regional Workgroups• Water and Wastewater Provider Survey– Types of Systems included in Survey– Survey Methods– 438 providers contacted, 126 Completed Surveys

Water and Wastewater Provider Outreach and Technical Assistance

• Water and Wastewater Provider Survey Preliminary Results/Observations– Overall interest in participation in the program– Most prevalent problems identified: Aging Infrastructure,

personnel training– Most burdensome regulatory challenge: State sampling and

testing procedure, particularly with drinking water standards– Relative awareness of existing technical service providers such as

Cal Rural Water and Rural Community Assistance Corporation.– Technical Assistance needs: system infrastructure maintenance

and repair; funding opportunities/grant writing; system mapping– Training needs: system compliance and operator testing and

budgeting, rate setting, and grants

Next Steps & Challenges

• Providing assistance to those most in need• Exportable Components• Incorporate into Plan• Sharing resources• Applications for funding• Overwhelming amount of need• Bringing providers to the table

Additional InformationJennifer Jenkins Kuszmar

707.268.3795jjenkins@co.humboldt.ca.us

Karen Gaffney & Katherine GledhillWest Coast Watershed

707.433.7377

www.northcoastirwmp.net