Where: Otis, Lincoln County, Oregon

Problem: Small rural communities struggle to obtain the emergency funding required to replace critical infrastructure destroyed by wildfires.

Solution: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) provided technical assistance to apply for and access emergency funding.

Panther Creek Water District (PCWD) is in Otis, Oregon, an unincorporated community in Lincoln County located near the Salmon River. Otis has a population of around 3,326 with a median household income (MHI) of $43,594, classifying it as a disadvantaged community.

PCWD’s water intake and treatment buildings were destroyed in a September 2020 wildfire. RCAC Rural Development Specialist Jason Carman assisted PCWD in applying for an Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant from U. S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) to stabilize the slopes around the intake and the location where the treatment buildings are to be rebuilt.

USDA RD awarded a $794,000 grant to the water district this past quarter, and Carman continues to assist the system to implement the proposed project, which will help the community recover from the fire and reestablish safe drinking water service.