WE ARE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

A Navajo Nation community located in San Juan County, Utah and partners have spent nearly 25 years working for equitable access to basic civil infrastructure. After decades of effort by community members and partners, the community recently got connected to the electrical grid and is set to get first
time water access with a regional water main extension project set to conclude construction in March 2025.

Most community members currently have conventional onsite wastewater treatment systems. The condition and functionality of the existing wastewater infrastructure is anticipated to be varying. As such, there is a need to assess community-wide wastewater improvements to address the need for sustainable, reliable, and affordable wastewater services in the community.

A small water utility in Plymouth County, MA, is looking to connect seasonal users to the main distribution system, increasing their customer base by offering year-round service. The current main lines are shallow and undersized, causing them to be unable to support year-round service. For this reason, the community is looking to upsize the lines and bury at an adequate depth for year round use.

Currently, community members that have seasonal pipes rely on private wells that provide water to residents during off-season. In addition to the general issue of water provision, a major concern is that these private wells have tested high for nitrates and magnesium.

The community of Coral Bay experiences severe flooding on one of their main roads. As a result, residents, and the emergency responders located in this area, are oftentimes cut off or with limited access to the rest of the island. While there is a secondary access point, this road is insufficient as it often experiences landslides that are not able to be immediately cleared off. The communities who are being most impacted by this are historically underserved from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who do not have the available resources to invest into a solution for a problem of this magnitude.

The project organization is an environmental advocacy nonprofit that focuses on promoting renewable energy and fighting air and water pollution. They have recently brought cases against scrap metal yards across varying states and U.S territories who were not meeting standards required of them by the EPA regarding metal levels in their stormwater runoff.

Ligation has been finalized and the support needed at this time is technical assistance with reviewing the design of stormwater quality infrastructure that is required to be implemented by the scrap metal yards as part of the settlement. The organization does not currently have the technical capacity to provide engineering design review and is looking for support from someone with stormwater management and treatment experience to provide cursory 60% design review on four proposed water quality facilities.

Residents of a small, rural community in Yuba County, CA, run a non-profit company that is shareholder owned and fulfills the community’s water and wastewater needs. This utility has operated in partnership with RCAC, California Rural Water Association, and the California Department of Water Resources to evaluate the water system’s performance and leak detections, which ultimately resulted in a pro bono water system assessment from a local engineering firm.

The community has 58 residential lots, of which 26 are developed. There are currently 26 active users of the water system who own septic systems on their approximate ⅓ acre lots. These systems were originally built in the 1960s.

Given the age of the systems, the tanks are outdated and in need of replacement. Rather than replacing the existing tanks with new, individualized septic tanks, the community is looking to assess the feasibility of establishing a centralized wastewater system.

An Oregon NGO dedicated to supporting Afro-Indigenous peoples and preserving Indigenous traditions through cultural education is looking for technical support with various projects within their community. Projects could include a multifaceted scope and a longer term commitment, ideal for student or professional volunteer groups.

A small, spring-fed, community-run water utility operating in a rural community in Allegany County, MD, is in need of upgrades. The system, which serves 28 homes, is facing several challenges. As the entire system is approaching 60 years of age, and is either nearing the end of or already beyond its useful service life. The system has many leaks, and being located in a rural area, some homes that it services are as far as two miles apart from one another. This distance, along with the topography of the area, has resulted in the system being quite disjointed. The community has previously either repaired the system themselves, or raised funds internally to cover the expenses of repairs. This is becoming less feasible, however, as the system ages and more challenges arise.

The system is not in compliance with Maryland state regulations and must be updated to achieve compliance. The spring serves about 28 homes and does not provide consistently sufficient pressure to all connections, resulting in a potential backflow hazard, as well as unreliable service for each customer. Water from the spring has tested positive for nitrates/nitrites and coliform. The treatment system qualifies as a T1 plan.

Community Engineering Corps is partnering with the US Water Alliance through their National Environmental Finance Center to provide technical assistance on the island of Maui. The team is assisting with community engagement around different water supply options and is looking for a volunteer who can provide a thorough overview of County water reports, including the Water Use and Development Plan, water demand studies, and cost benefit analyses and feasibility reports for different supply options. The volunteer will help synthesize the findings and recommendations of these County water reports for the purposes of educating the community on the supply needs and feasibility of various supply options at future engagement events. Understanding the historic significance of Maui’s natural resources is critical for engagement, as water holds deep spiritual and cultural meaning for Native Hawaiian communities. Additionally, given the recent wildfires on Maui, water supply is a particularly sensitive topic. Acknowledging these values and recent events ensures that water management respects traditional practices and local context, and fosters equity in decision making, preserving both cultural heritage and environmental sustainability while promoting community resilience.

A non-profit, Young Women on the Move (YWOM), helps middle and high school girls in Wyandotte County live healthier and more prosperous lives. They are operating out of a 100-year-old church donated to them in 2017. They have several needs stemming from that space as well as opportunities to expand their environmental justice impact and provide pathways to careers that support those goals. YMOM is planning to renovate a portion of the church. Additionally, adjacent to the church is a condemned property owned by the organization. YWOM is interested in having the property demolished to turn it into an outdoor classroom.

An Oregon NGO dedicated to supporting Afro-Indigenous peoples and preserving Indigenous traditions through cultural education is looking for technical support with various projects within their community. Projects could include a multifaceted scope and a longer term commitment, ideal for student or professional volunteer groups.

A small water utility in Plymouth County, MA, is looking to connect seasonal users to the main distribution system, increasing their customer base by offering year-round service. The current main lines are shallow and undersized, causing them to be unable to support year-round service. For this reason, the community is looking to upsize the lines and bury at an adequate depth for year round use.

Currently, community members that have seasonal pipes rely on private wells that provide water to residents during off-season. In addition to the general issue of water provision, a major concern is that these private wells have tested high for nitrates and magnesium.

A small, spring-fed, community-run water utility operating in a rural community in Allegany County, MD, is in need of upgrades. The system, which serves 28 homes, is facing several challenges. As the entire system is approaching 60 years of age, and is either nearing the end of or already beyond its useful service life. The system has many leaks, and being located in a rural area, some homes that it services are as far as two miles apart from one another. This distance, along with the topography of the area, has resulted in the system being quite disjointed. The community has previously either repaired the system themselves, or raised funds internally to cover the expenses of repairs. This is becoming less feasible, however, as the system ages and more challenges arise.

The system is not in compliance with Maryland state regulations and must be updated to achieve compliance. The spring serves about 28 homes and does not provide consistently sufficient pressure to all connections, resulting in a potential backflow hazard, as well as unreliable service for each customer. Water from the spring has tested positive for nitrates/nitrites and coliform. The treatment system qualifies as a T1 plan.

Community Engineering Corps is partnering with the US Water Alliance through their National Environmental Finance Center to provide technical assistance on the island of Maui. The team is assisting with community engagement around different water supply options and is looking for a volunteer who can provide a thorough overview of County water reports, including the Water Use and Development Plan, water demand studies, and cost benefit analyses and feasibility reports for different supply options. The volunteer will help synthesize the findings and recommendations of these County water reports for the purposes of educating the community on the supply needs and feasibility of various supply options at future engagement events. Understanding the historic significance of Maui’s natural resources is critical for engagement, as water holds deep spiritual and cultural meaning for Native Hawaiian communities. Additionally, given the recent wildfires on Maui, water supply is a particularly sensitive topic. Acknowledging these values and recent events ensures that water management respects traditional practices and local context, and fosters equity in decision making, preserving both cultural heritage and environmental sustainability while promoting community resilience.

A nonprofit water utility district, which provides drinking water to a rural community in Kootenai County, ID, is looking to update its existing systems. The community’s drinking water infrastructure was developed in the 1960s, and has surpassed its useful service life. The utility is seeking Community Engineering Corps’ support to assist in the development of a Facilities Plan (Preliminary Engineering Report and Environmental Report), which will be used in an application for funding for the system’s rehabilitation. The utility is a small, community-owned water system that has not yet been able to find any assistance to finance a Facilities Plan.

This project is in partnership with the Rural Community Assistance Corporate (RCAC). RCAC plans on completing the Environmental Report component of the Facilities Plan.

A non-profit, Young Women on the Move (YWOM), helps middle and high school girls in Wyandotte County live healthier and more prosperous lives. They are operating out of a 100-year-old church donated to them in 2017. They have several needs stemming from that space as well as opportunities to expand their environmental justice impact and provide pathways to careers that support those goals. YMOM is planning to renovate a portion of the church. Additionally, adjacent to the church is a condemned property owned by the organization. YWOM is interested in having the property demolished to turn it into an outdoor classroom.

A Navajo Nation community located in San Juan County, Utah and partners have spent nearly 25 years working for equitable access to basic civil infrastructure. After decades of effort by community members and partners, the community recently got connected to the electrical grid and is set to get first
time water access with a regional water main extension project set to conclude construction in March 2025.

Most community members currently have conventional onsite wastewater treatment systems. The condition and functionality of the existing wastewater infrastructure is anticipated to be varying. As such, there is a need to assess community-wide wastewater improvements to address the need for sustainable, reliable, and affordable wastewater services in the community.

A small water utility in Plymouth County, MA, is looking to connect seasonal users to the main distribution system, increasing their customer base by offering year-round service. The current main lines are shallow and undersized, causing them to be unable to support year-round service. For this reason, the community is looking to upsize the lines and bury at an adequate depth for year round use.

Currently, community members that have seasonal pipes rely on private wells that provide water to residents during off-season. In addition to the general issue of water provision, a major concern is that these private wells have tested high for nitrates and magnesium.

Residents of a small, rural community in Yuba County, CA, run a non-profit company that is shareholder owned and fulfills the community’s water and wastewater needs. This utility has operated in partnership with RCAC, California Rural Water Association, and the California Department of Water Resources to evaluate the water system’s performance and leak detections, which ultimately resulted in a pro bono water system assessment from a local engineering firm.

The community has 58 residential lots, of which 26 are developed. There are currently 26 active users of the water system who own septic systems on their approximate ⅓ acre lots. These systems were originally built in the 1960s.

Given the age of the systems, the tanks are outdated and in need of replacement. Rather than replacing the existing tanks with new, individualized septic tanks, the community is looking to assess the feasibility of establishing a centralized wastewater system.

A small, spring-fed, community-run water utility operating in a rural community in Allegany County, MD, is in need of upgrades. The system, which serves 28 homes, is facing several challenges. As the entire system is approaching 60 years of age, and is either nearing the end of or already beyond its useful service life. The system has many leaks, and being located in a rural area, some homes that it services are as far as two miles apart from one another. This distance, along with the topography of the area, has resulted in the system being quite disjointed. The community has previously either repaired the system themselves, or raised funds internally to cover the expenses of repairs. This is becoming less feasible, however, as the system ages and more challenges arise.

The system is not in compliance with Maryland state regulations and must be updated to achieve compliance. The spring serves about 28 homes and does not provide consistently sufficient pressure to all connections, resulting in a potential backflow hazard, as well as unreliable service for each customer. Water from the spring has tested positive for nitrates/nitrites and coliform. The treatment system qualifies as a T1 plan.