Montana Rural Water Systems

What Montana Rural Water Systems does

Montana Rural Water Systems, Inc. (MRWS) is a private nonprofit membership association founded in 1979 by five Montana water districts (Tiber County, Hill County, South Chester, Oilmont, and Lockwood) and headquartered in Great Falls, Montana. The organization provides training and technical assistance to water and wastewater utilities across the entire state, having grown from five founding systems to more than 400 member utilities. Its core offerings include on-site technical assistance via Circuit Rider and Wastewater Technician programs, source water protection services, classroom and hands-on training workshops (15+ annually), an annual Technical Conference & Exhibition (47th edition scheduled for March 2027, averaging ~850 attendees), and an NRWA Apprenticeship Program (a 2-year, 4,000-OJT-hour + 288-instruction-hour workforce development track). MRWS is governed by a nine-member elected board and operates with a 17-person staff; it has been an affiliate of the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) since October 1979.

MRWS generates revenue through a diversified membership and services model. System membership dues are tiered by utility size from $50 (transient/non-transient) to $400+ (500+ connections); associate (vendor) memberships cost $300 annually and individual operator memberships cost $50. Training workshop fees are split between member ($60/person) and non-member ($90/person) rates, with specialized programs such as the Yellow Bay Advanced Wastewater Training priced at $650-$800 per package. The annual conference produces exhibitor booth fees, sponsorship revenue (including a Diamond-level relationship with Zenner USA), and professional attendee passes. The organization also serves as a pass-through vehicle for EPA, USDA Rural Development, and Montana DEQ-funded technical assistance, particularly for tribal and rural systems.

MRWS is not a technology company and does not develop proprietary software products. Its competitive position rests on regulatory relationships (Montana DEQ, EPA, USDA), a statewide distribution network delivered by field staff, a multi-decade knowledge base (lending library, regulatory advisories, vulnerability/emergency response plans), and member-controlled governance that no single utility could replicate independently. Strategic partnerships, including a 2022 alliance with 120Water for Lead and Copper Rule Revisions support and alliances with NRWA, MWEA, and Montana WARN, extend the association's service surface without requiring in-house technology development.

Name

Montana Rural Water Systems

Legal name

Montana Rural Water Systems, Inc.

Website

https://mrws.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Montana Rural Water Systems is a 1979-founded nonprofit membership association providing on-site technical assistance, training workshops, and an annual conference to 400+ water and wastewater utilities across Montana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Utility Technical Assistance and Training Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Asset Management (EUAEAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Water utility training
• Wastewater technical assistance
• Utility membership association
• Operator certification programs
• Rural water systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Great Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. System Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from water and wastewater utility systems based on size (service connections). Provides voting rights, technical assistance, training sessions, publications, and access to retirement programs and insurance.
2. Associate Membership Dues: Annual dues of $300 from vendor/company associate members seeking exposure to water/wastewater professionals. Provides directory listing, website feature, and opportunity to exhibit at training events and conferences.
3. Training Workshop Fees: Revenue from training workshops including certification review sessions, backflow prevention courses, and specialized training. Members receive discounted rates ($60/person) compared to non-members ($90/person). Special programs like Yellow Bay training range from $650-$800.
4. Individual Membership Dues: Annual dues of $50 for individual members seeking access to training, publications, and networking.
5. Conference and Exhibition Revenue: Revenue from annual technical conference including exhibitor booth fees, professional passes, and sponsorship opportunities. Diamond level sponsorships available for water industry vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Montana Rural Water Systems is a nonprofit membership association that delivers on-site technical assistance, classroom and hands-on operator training, source water protection planning, regulatory and legislative advocacy, and an apprenticeship program to drinking water, wastewater, and tribal systems throughout Montana. Core member benefits include no-charge on-site Circuit Rider and Wastewater Technician visits, rate structuring assistance, vulnerability and emergency response planning, access to a lending library and publications, and an annual technical conference and exhibition.

Product overview

Montana Rural Water Systems (MRWS) operates as a member association providing a portfolio of services to water and wastewater utilities across Montana. The core offering consists of on-site technical assistance through Circuit Rider and Wastewater Technician programs, supplemented by classroom and hands-on training workshops. Additional offerings include the NRWA Apprenticeship Program for operator development, annual Technical Conference & Exhibition with the Ultimate Meter Challenge competition, and membership programs (System Membership and Associate Membership) that provide access to technical resources, regulatory support, and industry networking. A partnership with 120Water provides specialized resources for Lead and Copper Rule compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• System Membership Program Annual membership for water and wastewater utility systems (tiered by size: 1-49 connections $150, 50-149 $250, 150-299 $300, 300-499 $350, 500+ $400; Transient $50; Non-Transient $75). Includes on-site technical assistance, 15+ training sessions per year, lending library, quarterly newsletters, insurance programs, and regulatory/legislative advocacy.
• Associate Membership Program $300 annual membership for water/wastewater industry vendors and service companies, providing directory listing, website feature, and exhibit access at training events and the annual conference.
• Individual Membership $50 annual membership for individual water and wastewater operators, providing access to training, publications, networking, and continuing education credits.
• Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Program Water circuit riders provide no-charge on-site technical assistance to small rural water systems covering utility management, finance, operation and maintenance, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, disaster response, and energy efficiency.
• Wastewater Technician Services Wastewater technicians provide no-charge on-site technical assistance for operations, maintenance, management, security, finances, loan applications, health, and environmental issues, along with formal training for wastewater operators.
• Source Water Protection Services Source water protection specialists work with utilities, local businesses, agriculture, government, and community groups to develop and implement plans that protect drinking water sources through nonpoint source pollution identification and control.
• NRWA Apprenticeship Program A two-year apprenticeship combining 4,000 hours of on-the-job training with 288 hours of related technical instruction for water and wastewater operations specialists, where apprentices earn wages while they learn.
• Training Workshops In-person training workshops including Water & Wastewater Operator Certification Review Sessions ($60 member / $90 non-member), Backflow Prevention Assembly Testers courses, Lagoon Systems Training (free of charge), and Yellow Bay Advanced Wastewater Training ($650-$800 packages).
• MRWS Technical Conference & Exhibition Annual technical conference and exhibition attracting approximately 850 water and wastewater professionals, featuring exhibitor booths, networking, awards presentations, educational sessions, and the Ultimate Meter Challenge competition.
• 120Water Partnership Resources (Lead and Copper Rule Support) Member resource provided through the 2022 partnership with 120Water, offering technical assistance and tools to manage water quality programs related to lead and other contaminants, including preparation for the EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 120WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022120Water and MRWS announced a partnership to expand technical assistance and support available to MRWS members, focusing on tools and resources for managing water quality programs related to lead and other contaminants, including preparation for EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).
• National Rural Water Association (NRWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRWS became a member of NRWA in October 1979. NRWA provides apprenticeship program guidelines, national conferences (WaterPro), Rural Water Rally events, legislative advocacy in Washington DC, and access to national publications and resources.
• Zenner USAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerZenner USA is Diamond level sponsor of MRWS annual conference and sponsors the Ultimate Meter Challenge competition, providing prizes and promoting water professional engagement.
• Montana Water Environment Association (MWEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMWEA board has set aside funds for assisting Montana operators to attend continuing education and training events, working in conjunction with MRWS training programs.
• Montana WARNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontana WARN (Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network) provides mutual aid and assistance between utilities for emergency response, with MRWS promoting WARN membership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Rural Water Association: The national umbrella organization for state rural water associations. MRWS has been an NRWA member since October 1979, and NRWA provides apprenticeship guidelines, national conferences (WaterPro), and federal advocacy — making it the broadest incumbent peer and a partial supplier of MRWS's programming.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): National wastewater-focused professional association whose state affiliates (like MWEA) overlap with MRWS's wastewater operator audience. Broad incumbent in the same professional development and certification space.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): The largest national water utility professional association, with overlapping member base (water operators) and standards-setting role. AWWA is broader and less rural-focused but competes for conference attendance and training mind-share.

Direct peers

• South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems: Direct state-level peer providing circuit rider, wastewater technician, and training services to rural water and wastewater utilities across South Dakota — almost identical operating model and member composition to MRWS.
• Wyoming Rural Water Association: A neighboring state-level membership association providing training, technical assistance, and advocacy for rural water and wastewater systems in Wyoming. Closely comparable in mission, funding model (EPA/USDA), and service portfolio to MRWS.
• North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association: Regional peer operating under the same NRWA-affiliated membership association model, providing training, technical assistance, and source water protection to rural utilities in North Dakota. Shares the same funding structure and regulatory context as MRWS.
• Idaho Rural Water Association: Another neighboring state-level rural water association delivering circuit rider technical assistance, training workshops, and annual conferences to Idaho utilities. Directly comparable structure and member base to MRWS.
• Montana Water Environment Association (MWEA): Montana-focused wastewater professional association that partners with MRWS on continuing education funding for operators. Shares overlapping membership and event audiences in Montana.
• Washington State Rural Water Association: State-level membership association serving Washington rural water and wastewater systems with technical assistance, training, and advocacy — closely matched to MRWS's service portfolio and member-driven model.
• Colorado Rural Water Association: A larger state rural water association operating under the same NRWA umbrella, providing training, technical assistance, and conferences to Colorado utilities — useful as a scaled benchmark for MRWS's growth potential.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MRWS406
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montana-rural-water-systems-inc/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/mtruralwater
• Xx.com/rural_mt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Montana Rural Water Systems