National Rural Water Association
The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to training, supporting, and promoting the water and wastewater professionals that serve small communities across the United States. NRWA provides training and technical assistance through 49 affiliated State Rural Water Associations, that currently have over 31,000 utility system members. State Rural Water Association staff have delivered over 75,000 on-site technical assistance visits and 150,000 hours of training to more than 37,000 utilities.
Government agencies and larger organizations like NRWA can support underfunded utilities through capacity building and skills training. NRWA and its state-level affiliates employ experienced water and wastewater operators called Circuit Riders to work on-site with small, rural utilities to make operational improvements, respond to emergencies, and assess technological alternatives. They also offer courses and trainings to utility professionals.
NRWA also offers low-cost loans for short-term repair costs, small capital projects, or pre-development costs associated with larger projects. The Rural Water Loan Fund (RWLF) helps small water and wastewater utilities replace equipment, upgrade systems, improve energy efficiency, and cover planning costs for infrastructure projects.
In addition to financial assistance, NRWA has a unique initiative that provides reduced prices on fleet vehicles. The Rural Water Fleet Program is a valuable service for small water and wastewater utilities that have a need for reliable work vehicles, but may not have the purchasing power of larger utilities.
Capacity Building/Education
Funding and Finance
Research and Technical Assistance