38 



A Commionent to Alaskans Rural Strategy 



Objective 4 Expand the Remote Maintenance Worker 

 Program. 



Most of the State's rural communities lack a public works depanment, a full time 

 professional water/sewer operator, and in many cases an electrician or plumber. S y stems 

 arc frequently left in the hands of volunteers who, with limited resources and knowledge, 

 face a wide array of mechanical, environmental, and public health related problems. In 

 areas where climatic, economic, and demographic conditions make operation and 

 maintenance of facilities arduous, technical expertise is of great importance. However, 

 the remote location of most villages makes it economically infeasiblc for outside services 

 to be obtained when technical assistance is most needed. The Remote Maintenance 

 Worker Program offers a partial solution to this problem. 



Currcndy, the programconsistsof eight Remote Maintenance Workers (RMWs) who are 

 mechanical experts as well as trainers. Each RM W is assigned a circuit of 1 0- 1 5 villages 

 and resides in a hub conununity within dieir area. Through the efforts of these RMWs, 

 the program employs a two-fold approach to protecting costiy facilities and public 

 health. 



1. Technical Assistance . Due to the remoteness and climatic conditions found in most 

 villages, even minor operational problems can result in malfunctions that can lead to 

 catastrophic system failure. As technical expcru, RMWs are available to villages 24 

 hours a day throughout the year for advice and emergency repairs. 



2. Operator Training. As educators, RMWs provide operators with emergency and 

 routine on- the-job training. Operators are trained at their own speed at a level commen surate 

 with their individual requirenKnts. 



The solid commitment and ongoing cooperation of the legislature, the Department of 

 Environmental Conservation, several Native Health Corporations, and rural villages 

 throughout the State is positively reflected in the success of the RMW program. 



Unfortunately, less than half of the State's rural communities are serviced by a 

 Remote Maintenance Worker (refer to exhibit *) 



The Interagency Task Force will evaluate expanding the RMW program so that 

 within the next five years, all rural communities are served by a Remote Mainte- 

 nance Worker. This will ensure the protection of rural public health and the State's 

 capital investment in rural sanitation Infrastructure. RMW assistance will only 

 be provided until a community has obtained the competence to operate its system 

 without State assistance. 



28. 



