<p>Our rural communities feed and power the country, but our water infrastructure tells a different story.</p><p>Olga Morales-Pate, head of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) and a national leader in rural community development, joins John to discuss the challenges rural communities face when it comes to water infrastructure, why they are being left behind, and what it will take to change it. Drawing on more than 25 years of work in rural and colonia communities, Olga makes the case that rural water is not a niche issue. Instead, it is a foundation of national economic resilience, even though the country has not been building it that way.</p><p>“I don’t care what size community it is -- the biggest resources are the people. Those are the biggest assets, and we’re not investing enough in rural communities to retain those assets.”</p><p>- Olga Morales, Episode 9 of Season 5, Audacious Water</p><p>What You’ll Hear Discussed in This Episode:</p><p>* The Rural-Urban Disconnect</p><p>* Water as an Economic Foundation</p><p>* The Funding Crisis Since the Pandemic</p><p>* Annexation vs. Regionalization</p><p>* Colonias and Water Insecurity in the U.S.</p><p>* A Reactive System with No Data</p><p>Listen to the conversation with Olga to hear what it will take to build water infrastructure that works for the communities the country depends on.</p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://audaciouswater.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">audaciouswater.substack.com</a>