The Kentucky Rural Water Association is celebrating 30 years of providing excellence in service to our membership and we are excited about future opportunities during the next 30 years for drinking water and wastewater utilities throughout the Commonwealth. The staff and Board of Directors are collectively committed to these endeavors.

The ice storm that ravaged much of the state in early 2009 proved once again, that under even extraordinary circumstances, the cooperative efforts between member utilities and Kentucky Rural Water Association staff members provide successful results. The ice storm also proved how totally unprepared we are to respond quickly to such events. KRWA will continue to work at strengthening our KYWARN program to better prepare us for the next emergency situation that affects Kentucky.

I also want to encourage our membership to build on their relationships with their elected officials, local, state and federal. Take the lead like the utilities of Daviess County have by hosting local meetings where all of the utilities and all of the local officials get together for a lunch twice a year—simply to talk about what’s going on in the Owensboro area. KRWA has had another excellent year. Our financial condition continues to be strong. Our training programs for operators, managers and board members are second to none. Our
hands-on, onsite technical assistance is unmatched. Our lobbying efforts in Frankfort and in Washington continue to pay dividends. Please continue supporting the association through your participation.

As your president, I am humbled to lead this outstanding association. All of us need to work together to do things that will make us more efficient. If anyone has any suggestions for improvements, don’t hesitate to contact me personally or call on the staff at the office.

I hope to see many of you in Louisville at the National Rural Water Association’s H2O-XPO this October and also in 2011 as we help host our Rural Water family from across the nation!

Paul Lashbrooke
Board President