From The Monte Vista Journal (John McEvoy):
Dylan Eiler, a specialist from Colorado Rural Water Association (CRWA) wowed the Monte Vista City Council with his June 5 presentation on the free Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) program available to the city of Monte Vista.
CRWA is a nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance and training to Colorado’s public water and wastewater treatment systems, according to their brochure.
Not only is the program free, Eiler’s services in helping submit the $5,000 grant proposal that will pay for the program, as well as his expertise in the development and implementation of a source water protection plan is free also.
The grant is a one-to-one matching grant, which means the city would have to match every dollar with either money or in-kind time. The city may meet the in-kind funds by tabulating time spent at stakeholder meetings by professional and non-professional people present, as well as any time lawyers or engineers contribute to the local program.
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) created Colorado’s SWAP program and source water assessment reports to help with the development and implementation of individual source water protection plans in 2004.
“If area stakeholders know the source of their water, they will get involved,” said Eiler. “Identifying customers and involving citizens is the most effective way of creating advocates for protecting water sources.”
More Rio Grande River Basin coverage here.