The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $30 million in grant funding through its Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) initiative to help small and rural communities improve drinking water and wastewater systems.

According to EPA, the funding will provide training and technical assistance to strengthen the technical, managerial and financial capacity of small public drinking water systems, publicly owned wastewater systems and decentralized wastewater systems. The initiative also includes assistance for private well owners, including PFAS testing and lead service line identification.

"Small and rural communities are the backbone of this great country, and it's no secret that water systems serving these areas can face unique challenges with delivering clean and safe water," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer in a press release. "This $30 million investment is another way EPA is delivering wins for rural America."

EPA anticipates awarding approximately $14.58 million to the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), $9.1 million to the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and $7.02 million to the Southwest Environmental Finance Center at the University of New Mexico after legal and administrative requirements are completed.

The grants will support operator training, asset management planning, rate-setting, financial planning and regulatory compliance. The funding will also help utilities develop lead service line inventories, improve system financial health and provide training on PFAS regulations and treatment technologies.

Since 2012, EPA has provided more than $200 million through the program to technical assistance providers serving small communities. EPA said the RealWaterTA initiative focuses on helping water systems comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act while addressing operational challenges through locally tailored assistance.