Location: Fielding, Box Elder County, Utah

Problem: Community water systems face challenges accessing funds for essential utility improvements that protect public health.

Solution: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provides technical assistance, guides communities through the regionalization process and helps them access grant funding.

M&J Mobile Home Park, located in Fielding, Box Elder County, Utah, is a very low-income community of about 22 people that has struggled with high arsenic levels and contamination risks in its drinking water in recent years. RCAC began working with M&J in fall 2017, after the Utah Division of Drinking Water issued a “Do Not Use” order due to the system’s dire state. After a failed attempt to secure funding through a Federal Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) grant in November 2018, RCAC and the park looked into regional solutions and held discussions with neighboring communities that explored potential connections with neighboring water systems or enhancing the existing well’s treatment capabilities.

By fall 2021, significant progress toward a sustainable water solution for M&J Mobile Home Park led to the approval of a $1.54 million funding package in June 2022, earmarked for connecting the park with the Ukon Water Company. This package notably included $1.36 million in principal forgiveness, substantially reducing the community’s financial burden. However, rising project costs required a need for adjustments.

At a May 2023 water board meeting, officials deauthorized the original funding, instead granting $1.53 million in principal forgiveness to Ukon Water Company and authorizing $708,000 at 0% interest over 40 years for M&J, including $270,000 in principal forgiveness. These revisions should ensure the project’s continuation without imposing extra costs on Ukon’s existing customer base.

Construction was expected to kick off in spring 2024, marking an important milestone in the multi-year effort to secure a sustainable water solution for M&J Mobile Home Park’s residents.

For more information, contact:
Community & Environmental Services

Also in this issue of Network News:

RCAC helps Guam subdivisions fight for basic infrastructure, housing after typhoon
When Typhoon Mawar devastated Guam in May 2023, it laid bare a long-simmering crisis for residents in the northern village of Yigo. Subdivisions like Gill Baza, Gill-Breeze, and Zero Down, established in the 1990s to accommodate the island’s expanding Micronesian workforce, suffered from decades of neglected infrastructure and broken promises made by exploitative developers.

RCAC trains leaders to expand affordable mortgage access in Indigenous communities
Owning a home represents more than just a marker of stability for many Americans; it’s a crucial step toward financial security and the opportunity to create a lasting legacy for their descendants. However, low-income households and communities often find this dream out of reach due to systemic barriers and a lack of affordable financing options.