Wide smiles, a firm handshake and a big check sealed a continued partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and the National Rural Water Association.
Brandon Willis, deputy administrator for Farm Programs recently presented a $5 million check to NRWA President Fred Sheldon during the association’s Rural Water Rally inWashington, D.C.
The check represents an agreement to fund rural water’s national source water protection program for an additional year. NRWA and FSA are continuing a long-standing partnership that has helped small and rural communities develop Wellhead Protection and Source Water Protection Plans. The protection plans are capable of saving water systems millions of dollars in reduced costs for testing, treatment and pollution removal.
Source Water Protection Specialists work at the local level with Public Drinking Water System’s staff and management, local businesses, agricultural producers and others to implement activities to protect drinking water sources.
