Section 306D Water and Waste system Grants for Alaskan Villages, incl. technical assistance

Purpose: To fund water and waste disposal systems in rural Alaskan Villages. Funds must be used for development and construction of water and wastewater systems to correct dire health and sanitation conditions in those villages. Many communities in remote rural Alaska, where villages are accessible by plane or boat only, are essentially inaccessible during the long, hard winters. They lag far behind the lower 48 States in having safe and dependable drinking water and suitable waste disposal systems available.

Construction costs are extremely high. This is due in part to the severe weather conditions, which makes laying pipe difficult, if not impossible. These conditions also require the use of insulated pipe, or in areas of permafrost, above ground utilidors, often with heat traced insulated pipe. The vast distances from the transportation hub of Anchorage to a village increases costs substantially as the material must be delivered by barge or air.

Eligibility: The applicant for these grants must be a rural Alaskan Village or the State of Alaska for the benefit of a rural Alaskan Village or hub.

Eligibility: State of Alaska for rural or native villages

Requirements: This maximum grant is 75 percent of the project cost. There is a match requirement from the State of Alaska for 25 percent of the project cost. Predevelopment planning grants are also available in conjunction with this program.

Rural Alaska Village Grants may be made to the State of Alaska for the benefit of a rural Alaskan Village or directly to the community.

Basic Instruction: RUS Instruction 1780

Where to apply: Applications are accepted at any time through our Rural Development State and Area Offices. To locate an office near you go to http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html