MAP assists rural communities in the following states:

Iowa

Kansas

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

North Dakota

South Dakota

Wyoming

See Contact Us page for corporate and field office contact information.

Nebraska

The following case studies are examples of the technical assistance MAP provides to small communities at no cost.  To benefit from MAP's assistance, simply call the Rural Development Specialist nearest you.

District 23 is a small, rural Nebraska school district with approximately 20 students located 16 miles from the communities of Broken Bow, Anselmo, and Sargent.  This Class 1district is completely independent with no outside support.  The tax base supporting the school is completely agriculture in nature with no commercial or industrial properties. Constructed about 69 years ago, the water system consisted of two sand point wells located outside the building with the septic system located on the opposite side of the building.  In 1970 an addition was added to the school, covering the existing well that was placed in a pit beneath the vestibule floor of the building.  At the request of the Nebraska Health and Human Services (NHHS), MAP was requested to assist with two objectives.  First, inform the district of their requirements as a PWS and the second to assist with their sanitary survey response. 

A violation dealing with pertinent well data and the location of the well became a distinct challenge.  When the well was constructed approximately 60 years ago, it was located just outside of the original building. There are no records existing on this well.  The current location of the well is about ten inside the vestibule toward the east side under some unattached carpet.  The well is in a vault about six feet deep and six feet square that is accessible through a manhole.  A pressure tank and jet pump is also in the well vault.  The pump appears to be a sand point, common for this area due to a shallow water table. Water pipes are black plastic and connected with hose clamps.  To the rear of the vestibule are the boys and girls restrooms about 20 feet away with the septic tank just outside of the boy’s restroom

The close proximity of the student restrooms and septic system provides a serious problem regarding wellhead protection. Likewise the use of improper piping, connectors, and poor excess creates problems to properly maintain, operate, and assure clean, safe drinking water. In addition the district has had financial difficulties since funding is completely dependent upon an agricultural tax base and has had financial difficulties with farmers paying their taxes.  This financial problem has forced staff payroll to be withheld because cash was not in the bank.  Payroll would include three teachers, one part-time bus driver, and a cleaning person once a week.

MAP has consulted with NHHS of the situation and has been instructed to prepare a report and search for funding to make necessary improvements.  MAP discovered that Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has an emergency fund.  In order for the emergency funding to be utilized, NHHS must declare that an emergency exists.  It is anticipated that the system will be declared an emergency since a clean bacteria sample has not been received for several weeks. Children are bringing water from home.  MAP will continue to work with the school, NHHS, and NDEQ. 

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