Technical Assistance

Connecticut Rural Water & Wastewater Association is Connecticut’s representative to the National Rural Water Association, the nation’s largest utility membership association. Our Association is dedicated to promoting and assisting rural and small water and wastewater systems in Connecticut. We provide on-site training and technical assistance as well as other resources to support rural utilities across the state. We also represent rural and small systems in the halls of congress at the state and national level for federal policies and regulations.

 

Training & Technical Assistance for Drinking Water

The CTRWWA Training & Technical Assistance Program provides training to water system personnel that is specific to their water system and their work situation. This program is designed to strengthen the technical capacity in small water systems, ultimately resulting in the reduction of the number of systems out of compliance with health-based standards. By providing the training using real-life, hands-on water system situations experienced by the operations staff, the training is made more meaningful and useful. Some specific duties of the EPA Water Trainer include:

  • Help staff and decision-makers become more successful operating their systems, which results in a better understanding of Safe Drinking Water Act requirements

  • Conduct multiple system trainings on-site for specific issues

  • Design classroom sessions to meet state-specific compliance challenges

  • The On-Site Training Program is funded through US EPA via the National Rural Water Association

Circuit Rider Program

Circuit Riders provide on-site training and technical assistance to water as well as wastewater system management and operators. Circuit Riders travel around the State so every system gets regular training. Specific duties of the Circuit Rider include:

  • Identifying & evaluating affordable solutions to water & wastewater problems in rural areas

  • Assisting systems to rapidly respond & recover after natural & man-made emergencies such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, ice storms, and health pandemics

  • Protecting the environment & public health by improving treatment processes

  • Improving financial sustainability through better management practices, more efficient operations, and better maintained system components

  • Enhancing compliance with federal regulations

  • Assistance directed toward RD/RUS borrowers and potential borrowers

  • Assistance provided for all aspects of water utility management, finance, operation and maintenance, regulatory compliance, energy efficiency, and loan/grant applications

  • The CTRWWA Circuit Rider program is funded through USDA Rural Development via the National Rural Water Association

Source Water Protection Program

Our Source Water Protection Technician assists water systems when completing source water protection plans and with regularly scheduled updates. Our technician helps systems:

  • Develop and implement a plan to address the state-specific source water protection needs of rural and small community water systems in the state

  • Provide assistance and support in facilitating the implementation of source water protection plans

  • Facilitate and mediate planning meetings between various cross-jurisdictional entities

  • Provide assistance and support in source water protection planning

  • Provide presentations and assistance to local officials, community groups, and others

  • Respond to inquiries from facilities, consumers, governmental agencies, and others regarding technical matters

  • The CRWA Source Protection Program is funded through USDA Farm Services via the National Rural Water Association

Wastewater Program

The purpose of the Wastewater Program is to protect the nation’s multi-billion-dollar investment in rural and small municipal water/wastewater systems by providing on-site technical assistance, which ensures cost-effective operations and adequate income for both operations and debt service within each state. Specific responsibilities of wastewater technicians include:

  • Provides assistance to rural, unincorporated small municipal systems, tribal systems, and incorporated municipal systems under 10,000 population

  • Travels throughout the state to offer on‑site technical assistance

  • Provides assistance in all areas of operations, maintenance, management, security, finances, loan application, health, and environmental issues

  • Provides the type of assistance that offers “training” rather than “fixing”

  • Prioritizes requests to ensure coverage of wastewater systems with serious health or economic problems first

  • Reviews new technical standards set and proposed by public and private organizations

  • Responds to inquiries from facilities, consumers, governmental agencies, and others regarding technical matters

  • The CTRWWA Wastewater Program is funded through USDA via the National Rural Water Association

 
 

Our mission is to support Connecticut’s rural and small water and wastewater utility systems.

 

“CTRWWA is a great resource for small systems across the state. We are here to help you!”


— Marty Cormier, Former CTRWWA President