The mission of the Kansas Rural Water Association is:
To provide leadership, education, and technical assistance to public water and wastewater utilities to enhance the public health and to sustain Kansas' communities.
History
TEAMWORK
Your system + KRWA = Results that make the difference!
Water is the essential ingredient for every Kansan's life. And for 41 years, the Kansas Rural Water Association has been dedicated to helping public water systems provide the quality and quantity of water needed by their customers and their communities. Since 1993, KRWA has been helping wastewater utilities as well.
KRWA offers cities, rural water districts and investor-owned utilities these benefits:
Helping cities and rural water districts
KRWA provides assistance that systems need. Help is as immediate as schedules allow, such as leak detection, smoking of a sanitary sewer, water or sewer rate studies or policy questions on regulations. In 1998, the association began providing services to water utilities on source water and wellhead protection. In 1999, KRWA contracted with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to provide assistance to systems using surface water treatment and to systems with compliance problems.
In 2001, KRWA began providing assistance to Kan Step projects. Funded through the Kansas Dept. of Commerce & Housing, Kan Step projects involve local volunteers to construct the project. Kan Step provides funding for design/engineering, machine rental, and purchase of materials. KRWA provides assistance with the construction. On water projects for example, KRWA trains workers, helps make the installations, loads, pigs, flushes and pressure tests the new waterlines, then disinfects and samples and completes the project by mapping the facility with GPS.
KRWA offers expertise. The Association brings no-nonsense, in-the-trenches experience. Your membership helps provide services that are vital to the financial and political success of many water and wastewater utilities in Kansas.
Results through training
Busy people need practical, hands-on instruction that solves problems. Since 1976, KRWA has provided 1,581 training sessions attended by more than 106,000 operators, managers, board members and agency representatives. KRWA's annual conference is one of the largest and most widely respected statewide conferences in America.
Results through technical assistance
When you have a problem, you need solutions. KRWA's staffers put on their boots and get in the trenches with you. KRWA helps with all aspects of water and wastewater utility operation and management, such as:
You name it and KRWA can either do it or refer you to someone who can. The bottom line is to make sure you understand your options for getting the best possible project at the most reasonable price.
Results through technology
Today's small systems must work smarter. KRWA brings the latest technology to cities and rural water districts through:
Results through information
KRWA's nationally recognized publications provide the news and advice you need. The Kansas Lifeline, KRWA's news magazine, as well as periodic technical resource bulletins, provide timely information for the water and wastewater industry. Other publications (available through the General Store) include:
In 2003, KRWA was contracted by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment to produce a board training program. The result? The unique KanCap board/council training program complete with three ring binder and interactive CD.
KRWA also provides benchmark information that helps you see where your utility fits. One example is our annual survey of all RWDs and cities. KRWA uses the resulting computerized database of operational and management parameters when advising individual utilities. If requested, KRWA will conduct a thorough management review showing your system how to achieve a better bottom line.
Results through partnerships
KRWA is honored to work with water-related state agencies, notably the Public Water Supply Outreach program sponsored by and partly funded through the Kansas Water Plan. This program emphasizes water loss detection and correction, energy reduction, improved electrical maintenance and assistance with water quality issues.
In 1996, the Kansas Department of Health & Environment, KRWA and the Kansas Rural Water Finance Authority worked in partnership to ensure that the new Public Water Supply Loan Program would be accessible to small systems. The Authority is under contract to provide financial analysis to all SRF applicants and to monitor financial statements of non-rated borrowers and cities in need of reporting assistance.
Results through legislative action
When KRWA has called for member participation, Kansas' RWDs and cities have responded. Your letters, calls and faxes to Topeka and Washington have made KRWA a major participant in crucial legislative activities. An affiliate of the National Rural Water Association, KRWA has been heavily involved in issues such as:
Results
through insurance and financing
KRWA endorses a Group Safety Plan through EMC Insurance Companies for property and casualty insurance; directors and officers insurance is also available. This program has grown to more than 130 rural water districts in the group. Dividends returned range from a low of 5% in 1998 to more than 27% in 2004. Dividends are paid based on premiums, losses and expenses averaged for a three-year period.
KRWA also endorses the Kansas Rural Water Finance Authority. The Authority, a non-profit corporation created in 1988, has provided more than $72 million in financing to rural water districts and small cities in Kansas. KRWFA also provides assistance to the Kansas Public Water Supply Loan Fund that is administered by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. If your system needs money, contact KRWFA at
Since 1989 KRWA has:
