The New York Rural Water Association would like to thank our 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40-year members. We are very proud to have the support of these members and appreciate their continued support to our Association. Please click here to view this year's list.

2024 Honored Award Winners

 “Wastewater Operations Specialist of the Year”
Mike Ryman - Village of Ellenville
In recognition of his commitment to protecting the environment, his demonstration of leadership and his dedication to the community he serves

 “Wastewater System of the Year”
Village of Marcellus WWTP
In recognition of their forward thinking and commitment to protecting the environment

“Water Operations Specialist of the Year”
 Tom Townsend - Village of Moravia
For his outstanding dedication to his profession and duty

 “Water System of the Year”
Village of Cornwall on the Hudson
For continued excellence in providing safe drinking water through superior operations 
and progressive management

 “Associate Member of the Year”
Kennedy Valve and M & H Valve
Awarded for their continued outstanding contribution to our industry and the Association

   
Be Proud of What You Do!

Congratulations to the four recipients of the 2024 New York Rural Water Association
Founder’s Scholarships. 

The New York Rural Water Association is proud to provide up to five students each year with $500.00 each to help defray the costs of tuition, books, or room and board at college. This year, we received four outstanding applications, which were completed in their entirety and submitted by the deadline. 
We encourage more students from the entire state to apply in the future.

Capital Region: Ryleigh Fonda
Residing in Fonda, NY, Ryleigh plans to attend Fulton-Montgomery Community College this fall to study nursing. Ryleigh would first like to become a registered nurse, then continue her education to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Ultimately, Ryleigh would like to work in pediatric nursing and maybe one day become a physician assistant. Ryleigh has been very active with school and community throughout her high school years serving on student council, Spanish club, cards for veterans and cards for breast cancer patients, and Ryleigh is a member of the soccer, basketball and softball teams. We wish Ryleigh great success in her future endeavors.

Northeast Central Region: Samuel Carroll
Residing in Copenhagen, NY, Samuel plans to attend SUNY Brockport this fall to study physical education. Samuel plans to complete a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, and then pursue either a career as a physical education teacher or as a remotely piloted aircraft pilot (RFA) in the US Air Force. In high school, Samuel was a member of the National Honor Society and played soccer, basketball and baseball. Good luck, Samuel, in pursuing your dreams.

Finger Lakes Region: Keyonna Garrison
Residing in Odessa, NY, Keyonna plans to attend the Arnot School of Radiology to become a Radiology Technologist. Keyonna gained a perspective most of us could not imagine. During her junior year, she suffered a stroke due to an issue with her vertebral artery. She gained a passion for the health care industry based on the experienced and compassionate professionals who provided her care and rehabilitation. Keyonna was a member of the soccer and basketball teams, as well as the diversity club while in high school. Best wishes, Keyonna, on your future endeavors.

Buffalo Region: Paige Pecorella
Residing in Allegany, NY, Paige plans to attend Coastal Carolina University to pursue a 4-year degree in elementary education & school counseling. Paige was born 10 weeks prematurely and was lucky to survive and develop as an infant. Paige is quick to credit her family, teachers and coaches for her success in academics, community activities and athletics. In high school, Paige has been very busy. She served as president of the LEO Club, captain of the swim team and was accepted into the New Vision Education Program. Paige participated in community activities such as the Friends of Rachel Club, WNY Alzheimer’s Association, and she was a Salvation Army volunteer. Additionally, Paige worked for the Olean YMCA. We wish Paige great success in her future endeavors.

For those considering applying next year, please ensure all the necessary materials, including your application, are completed before submitting. To our members, please encourage students who reside in the boundaries of a rural water or wastewater system to apply by the end of January 2025 for the next round of scholarships. The application will be available on the website in November. 

Thank you to our sponsors, exhibitors, attendees and presenters for making this year's conference a huge success. We appreciate your support and participation. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year. Save the dates: Monday, May 19, 2025 - Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Thank You to Our 2024 Conference Sponsors!

We sincerely appreciate the following sponsors who have committed to a sponsorship.

 Premier Sponsors
G.A. Fleet Associates - Koester Associates, Inc. - Siewert Equipment - Ti-SALES

 Gold Sponsors
Core and Main - GP Jager Inc. - General Control Systems - Kennedy Valve and M & H Valve
R.M. Headlee Co., Inc. - Temp-Press, Inc. - Statewide AquaStore Inc.

Silver Sponsors
Cyclops Process Equipment - Power-Flo Pumps

If your company is interested in a sponsorship for 2025, please reach out to Kimberly Bennett at bennett@nyruralwater.org

NYRWA, through a contract with the NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Water Supply Protection, is providing on-site technical assistance for water suppliers in need of help understanding the regulation and compliance. NYRWA technical assistance providers will assist with education, recommendations on where to find information, templates, and with sorting through records to identify necessary data. This assistance is being provided free of charge to the water supplier.

We have multiple trained staff to assist your needs. In Eastern NY, please contact Nate Wissenbach at wissenbach@nyruralwater.org; in Central NY, please contact Mark Roberts at roberts@nyruralwater.org; and in Western NY, please contact Jamie Herman at herman@nyruralwater.org. 

We also have additional staff trained to assist if needed. Please remember, the deadline for the lead service line inventory is October 16, 2024.

Have you received water and/or wastewater technical assistance from NYRWA? Have you attended NYRWA in-person or web-based training? Has your system benefited from a Source Water Protection Plan or Energy Efficiency Assessment from NYRWA? If so, WE NEED YOUR HELP! NYRWA is respectfully asking our system members to draft and submit letters of support for the services you have received. These letters are crucial, so we can deliver your message to our elected representatives that more needs to be done to fund water and wastewater infrastructure. Please, we need as many members as possible to draft the support letters on your letterhead and mail to our office at:

NYRWA, Inc.
PO Box 487
Claverack, NY 12513

Let's make this letter-writing campaign a huge success, please participate. We thank you in advance for your consideration.

Don't have time to spend traveling to sit in a class all day? The best place to receive renewal web-based training is at home or work, whichever your schedule allows. You can work at your own pace. SunCoast Learning Systems offers some great topics that will fit your certification requirement needs. Online courses are New York State-approved and offer the flexibility and convenience you are looking for. For more information, call 1-800-269-1181 or visit https://www.suncoastlearning.com/courses/ny.

The NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) has released a 26-minute video with detailed step-by-step instructions on how to apply for state-administered water and wastewater funding. This self-help video is very well done, and it provides the information necessary to complete the funding application process. The next round of applications are due by June 14, 2024.

The video link: https://youtu.be/Mn-pwgDjKps

• Forever Wild Water Co.
• Fort Brewerton Sewer District / Hastings, Town of
• Hilton, Village of
• Hydro X USA
• Pike Water District #1, Town of
• Shady Acres Mobile Home Park
  
   

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