How did the concept of capacity development arise?
Since the crafting the SDWA in the early 1970’s, the US Congress has recognized the unique challenges facing small drinking water systems. The original 1974 Act, and the 1986 major amendments, focused on developing and implementing a strong regulatory program based on monitoring and treatment. The general sentiment was that, in the face of a strong regulatory program, systems would make the changes necessary to comply. The Act authorized training and technical assistance to help systems and provided exemptions for systems with compelling economic circumstances. These exemptions could be extended for very small systems. By the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, it was clear small systems were having difficulty keeping up with the rapidly expanding SDWA mandated regulations. There was also a growing recognition of a significant need for basic infrastructure repair and replacement, separate from any regulatory mandates. A few States began implementing “viability” initiatives, seeking to promot
