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Small and Rural Wastewater Systems

  • Supporting Small and Rural Communities

    EPA provides financial and technical assistance to small and rural communities to establish and improve wastewater treatment services, lower the risk of harm to public health, and protect the environment.

    Learn about funding sources

  • Improving Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Systems

    Many small, rural, and tribal communities rely on lagoon systems to treat their municipal wastewater. EPA supports communities to build financial and technical capacity and the best-fitting, affordable systems.

    Read the lagoons report based on over 4,500 lagoon systems

  • Funding Technical Assistance Grants

    EPA announces the selection of nine organizations to receive a total of $41 million in federal Clean Water Rural, Small, and Tribal Technical Assistance grants.

    Learn about the grant recipients and the grant program

EPA supports small and rural communities develop effective solutions to aging or inadequate wastewater treatment systems, or to the lack of access to basic wastewater services, including Indian Country and communities along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Small Systems

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  • Overview of small systems
  • Wastewater treatment technologies
  • Challenges and needs
  • Lagoon wastewater treatment systems

Funding Sources

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  • For all communities
  • For Tribal communities
  • For U.S.-Mexico border communities

Tools, Training,
and Technical
Assistance

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  • Technical Assistance Grant Program
  • Tools
  • Training and technical assistance
  • Assistance for tribal communities



Related Resources

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  • Organizations and institutions
  • Resources for tribal communities

Mapping Septic Systems in Tribal Areas

EPA and the Indian Health Service partner to assess the location and condition of septic systems across tribal areas.

Learn about: Septic Systems in Tribal Areas (pdf) (1.44 MB)

EPA Awards Technical Assistance Grants

EPA announces the selection of nine organizations to receive a total of $41 million in federal Clean Water Rural, Small, and Tribal Technical Assistance grants.

Read EPA's News Release

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funding for D.C. and Territories

View funding amounts: Implementation of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories Clean Water and Drinking Water Allocations of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (pdf) (412.63 KB)

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Last updated on March 24, 2025
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