Rural Water - Quarter 2, 2008 - (Page 32) Relations and Technical Issues Top EPA Summit Agenda THE NATIONAL RURAL Water Association (NRWA) is the largest water and wastewater utility membership organization in the nation, representing more than 26,242 utility members through its state rural water associations. It was this voice and these relationships on the local, state and national levels, coupled with technical issues, that took center stage at a rural water/EPA summit meeting held in Washington in February. The importance of the meeting was underscored by the attendance of EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, his chief counsel, the EPA’s chief fi nancial officer, the assistant administrator for water and his top two advisers, fi ve regional EPA staff members and an assortment of drinking water officials. Representing rural water were NRWA President Rodney Tart; Senior Vice President Fred Sheldon; State Rural Water Association Executive Directors Tommy Duck, Texas Rural Water; Gary Rhoades, Evergreen Rural Water of Washington; Dennis Sternberg, Arkansas Rural Water; Elmer Ronnebaum, Kansas Rural Water; Gary Larimore, Kentucky Rural Water; and Source Water Technician Sara Devries from Arkansas, along with NRWA CEO Robert Johnson and several NRWA staff members. State rural water associations provided presentations showcasing their work in training and technical assistance, source water planning and their responses to emergency situations across the nation. The items of discussion were wide and varied, from technical issues such as affordability for rural and small systems, initial distribution rule, Long-Term 2 and consecutive systems issues. The forthcoming Chemical Security Rule, Vulnerability Assessments and the Total Coliform Rule were also discussed as to their potential impacts on rural and small systems. In a broader discussion, NRWA committed to working on special initiatives in cooperation with the Office of Water. These initiatives will consist of conservation measures through water loss detection and the resulting impact on energy and operation cost, and promotion of the application of the Check Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS). The meeting was important as it provided a venue to demonstrate to the agency the critical link between training and technical assistance and retaining the compliance rates achieved, as well as compliance with new regulations as they are released. Rural water trains in excess of 100,000 people >>34 32 • Second Quarter 2008
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