Counties face numerous water quality challenges that county officials and staff can mitigate through various strategies. Protecting drinking water supplies, providing citizens with effective sewage and water infrastructure, restoring wetlands and managing water in situations of drought all remain critical issues facing counties. In addition, counties manage water resources, such as rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, wetlands and various other water bodies. Counties can protect this water infrastructure through the use of tools such as watershed planning, GIS decision support tools, community-based restoration projects, local policies and various other techniques.
NACo has designed our water program to help counties improve water quality and water resource management. With support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Forest Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NACo offers a range of services to help county officials protect water resources on the local level.
NACo’s water program offers financial and technical assistance to counties in the following areas:
- Stormwater
- Wastewater
- Watershed Planning
- GIS Decision Support System Tools, including coastal mapping
- Wetlands
- Coastal Resource Management
- Wetland and habitat restoration grant programs
NACo publishes a bimonthly Water Resources Newsletter with news, policy and training opportunities for county officials and staff. Links to the most recent and past newsletters are below.
Sign Up to join NACo's Water Quality Network and receive current information about new publications, grant opportunities, and events related to water quality.