ARWA Receives National Recognition
Outstanding Achievement in Technical Assistance Front Row Left to Right: Jerena Webb, Office Manager; Pam Lynch, Executive Assistant; Kathy Horne, Executive Director; Debbie Sillman, Finance Controller; Keena Brown, Receptionist | Back Row Left to Right: Franklin Buzbee, Circuit Rider; William Simmons, Special Service Representative; Chris Lovelace, Program Specialist; Andrew Crawford, Circuit Rider; Robert White, Circuit Rider; Chris Harmon, Operations Consultant; Micheal Baumgartner, Wastewater Specialist; George Marodis, USDA Sourcewater Specialist |
by Kathy Horne, Executive Director
The National Rural Water Association partnered with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers October 4-6 in Louisville, KY for the National Conference of the two groups. The event offered over 80 educational sessions, 1,000 exhibits and equipment displayed over 30 acres for the thousands of attendees. The partnership is designed to bring together water and wastewater utility systems, big and small, municipal and rural, operations, management and governance to create the only event of its kind. H2O-XPO is designed to meet the increasing needs of water, wastewater and municipal operations in products, services, equipment and education.
During the opening Reception and Awards Ceremony on October 4th, around 2,000 water professionals from across the nation gathered to enjoy an evening of networking, entertainment, good food and Awards Excellence Recognition. As the Awards Ceremony got underway it was announced that the National Rural Water Association Awards Committee Members would recognize six State Rural Water Associations from the 45 Associations nationwide in the categories of:
- State Association of the Year
- Outstanding Achievement in Legislative Initiatives
- Outstanding Achievement in Training
- Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations
- Outstanding Achievement in Technical Assistance
- Outstanding Achievement in Member Services
As the names were called, Alabama Rural Water Association was among the six winners bringing home the "Excellence in Technical Assistance Award". The Award recognizes the State Association who demonstrated outstanding on-site technical assistance to their member utilities during 2011. Technical Assistance is offered by the ARWA in many service categories with some of the most common including leak surveys, valve locations, smoke testing, sewer camera videoing, water and wastewater rate studies, source water assessments, emergency response assistance as well as other services upon request.
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