From the Desk of the Executive Director

I would like take this opportunity to give everybody background information on the Alliance. We, at the Alliance, want to keep our goals and objectives fresh in your minds so that you will use us for all of your water and wastewater needs.

The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water Association (Alliance) was founded twenty-one years ago as the new State Associate to the National Rural Water Association (NRWA). NRWA has grants and agreements with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and with the United States Department of Agriculture (Rural Development). NRWA has sub-grants and sub agreements with the Alliance. These sub-grants and sub-agreements are for the purpose of providing TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE and TRAINING to water and wastewater systems serving a population of less than ten thousand people at no charge. From time to time NRWA will also enter into other short-term grants with US EPA and RD for other projects (i.e. Vulnerability Assessments). As you can see when we are out conducting emergency water leak locates, troubleshooting a wastewater plant, holding training sessions or completing a Vulnerability Assessment we are striving to do our best to complete these goals.

Since I have taken over the reins as Executive Director, I have been focused on returning the Association to its focal point. Our focus is on you, the operators, clerks, managers, board members and all other employees who work for the small rural water and wastewater systems. We are here to meet your needs, be it through on-site assistance, providing training opportunities or answering your questions by phone or e-mail, this is our obligation. Remember US EPA and RD pay us to assist you. We are the only State Association who has seven full-time field staff to assist with your needs. Our field staff has over 150 years of combined experience in the water and wastewater field. Some of us have experienced the joys of running a water or wastewater plant and some of us have had the pleasure of also being a Utility Superintendent, Town Manager and even managing a local environmental enforcement agency. So we should be able to assist you with any problems you might encounter from just about any point of view.

There have been some concerns lately that we are competing with Engineering Firms and Consultants for work. These folks are just has important to us and we have no intentions of competing with them for work. But we will continue to perform our jobs of providing technical assistance and training to the systems at no cost. We always look to work in a cooperative environment with all groups to accomplish similar goals. I think it’s great that the US EPA and Rural Development provide us with the funds to accomplish this.

We are moving our Spring Conference up a month next year and it will be held in a new location. The Spring Conference is scheduled for March 22-24, 2004 at the Bloomington Conference Center. The Bloomington Marriott will be the host hotel with the Bloomington Fairfield Inn taking the over-flow crowds.

If we can be of any assistance to you or you have any comments or concerns please contact me by phone 888-937-4992 or e-mail jsoper@inh20.org.