The National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project (NDWRCDP) was established in 1996 to improve the capacity of municipalities, regulators, engineers, contractors, water and wastewater utilities, electric utilities, and other public and private entities to respond to the increasing complexities of, and expanding need for decentralized wastewater and stormwater treatment.

The NDWRCDP is a collaborative effort of the Coalition for Alternative Wastewater Treatment (CAWT), the Consortium of Institutes for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment (CIDWT), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA), the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF).

Capacity development is achieved primarily through support of research and development projects that address issues affecting more widespread consideration and effective application of decentralized wastewater and stormwater treatment approaches.

During Phase 1 of the program (1997 - 2003), the NDWRCDP was administered by Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) with federally appropriated funds provided through a Cooperative Agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Research and Development (USEPA-ORD).  The program is now administered by WERF with cooperative funding from USEPA-ORD. To review the status of NDWRCDP activities and funding, please click on this link: NDWRCDP Status.