Alaska Rural Water Association has a staff of full-time professionals who provide various services to small water and wastewater systems and operators throughout Alaska. ARWA currently provides four programs:
Wastewater Technical Assistance and Training Specialist: A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant provides the funding for this program. Our wastewater technical assistance and training specialist travels throughout the state to provide onsite technical assistance and regional training to wastewater operators of small utilities. Technical assistance can range from operations and maintenance guidance to help with regulatory compliance or emergency response preparedness.
Mark Wuitschick - mark@arwa.org, cell: (907) 631-8148
Drinking Water Circuit Rider I & II Positions: A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant provides funding for two circuit rider positions. The circuit riders travel throughout the state to provide onsite “over the shoulder” technical assistance to drinking water operators of small utilities. The technical assistance can range from operations and maintenance guidance to help with regulatory compliance, finance and management issues, emergency response preparedness, as well as sanitary survey assistance.
Kevin Schoneman - kevin@arwa.org, cell: (907) 671-4038
Vacant: cell: (907) 631-1837
Technical Assistance and Training: A grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides funding. This program provides formal training to water operators and utility personnel through classroom-style seminars in all regions of Alaska. Courses provided by the Alaska Rural Water Association are at little or no cost. Please visit our Training Calendar to view current trainings and to register online. If you need specific training please give us a call, as we happily take training requests from our members.
Kelly Comerford - kelly@arwa.org, cell: (907) 841-2800
Source Water Protection Specialist: A grant provides funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This program seeks to develop consensus among the stakeholders of various surface and groundwater sources throughout Alaska to develop source water protection plans to ensure the safety of water sources used primarily for drinking water. This program also provides outreach to communities to educate community members and their youth about the importance of protecting their source water.
Sarah Ramey - sarah@arwa.org, cell: (907) 631-1056
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.