USDA Rural Development provides critical funding for water and wastewater utilities in Rural America. USDA RD also funds the NRWA Circuit Rider program, the Wastewater Technician program, and the Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider program.
AMBER, Okla. – In a metal building west of the small Oklahoma town of Amber, Paul Jones is gathering his staff around a wall filled with color-coded pipe maps and a whiteboard scrawled with the day’s priorities. The Rural Water District has undergone tremendous changes, fueled by a combination of hard work and USDA loan… Read more »
SOUTH DUCHESNE, Utah – For the last eight years, a Systems Operations Specialist has been filling the South Duchesne Culinary Water System’s water tank by manually opening the valves twice a day, every day. Assistance from the Rural Water Association of Utah helped correct the problem with a valve that allowed the system to operate… Read more »
AXTELL, Neb. – When Mike Stanzel arrived to assist the Village of Axtell with a leak, he never expected that after scheduling around a high school basketball tournament and closing 13 valves the leak was no closer to repair. Ultimately, the repair required the excavation of a service line and the use of a line… Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dennis Sternberg, Executive Director of the Arkansas Rural Water Association, testified on March 28 to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife on S. 518. S. 518 is described as: “a bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide for technical assistance… Read more »
WASHINGTON, D. C. – Statements during the Senate Agriculture Committee’s March 23 confirmation hearings for George “Sonny” Perdue revealed support for Rural Water from both Perdue, nominated to be Secretary of Agriculture, and Senators on the committee. The National Rural Water Association has two recordings of the hearing: a version trimmed to only the comments regarding… Read more »
CARLISLE, Pa. – When an equipment failure flooded the Carlisle water plant, the borough sought help from the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association. “Over 1.6 million gallons of water came down from the reservoir and filled the basement of the water plant destroying all the electrical components,” explained Dave Muzzy, a PRWA Circuit Rider. A power… Read more »
The President’s budget eliminates the USDA water and waste loan and grant program, which has been the lifeline for rural water and small communities across Rural America. Instead, the Administration is placing its confidence with the EPA State Revolving Loan Funds. This demonstrates how blind the Administration is to its rural constituency and the lack… Read more »
DUNCAN, Okla. – Steve Fletcher, President of the National Rural Water Association, testified to the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee on March 9, 2017 on the Farm Bill and Rural Development Programs. NRWA has two recordings of President Fletcher’s testimony: a version edited to include only his testimony and related comments and the full livestream… Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Rural Water Association has joined #RebuildRural, a coalition of over 200 organizations from across the country encouraging President Donald J. Trump to prioritize rebuilding infrastructure in rural America. “Those of us in rural communities have seen our infrastructure deteriorate, jeopardizing jobs, our agricultural competitiveness and the health of rural families,”… Read more »
Romney, W.V. – A massive line break in Romney, W.V. cut service to the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Romney, W.V., disrupting classes and forcing the students living on campus to relocate. The school contacted the West Virginia Rural Water Association for assistance. “I contacted one of our Circuit Riders to… Read more »