New York Rural Water Association

What New York Rural Water Association does

New York Rural Water Association (NYRWA) is a not-for-profit membership organization incorporated in New York State in 1979 and headquartered at 75 Bender Blvd, Claverack, NY. Its core mission is to promote the development, improvement, and sound operation of rural drinking water and wastewater systems throughout New York State. The association serves over 1,400 member systems — including villages, towns, municipal water and sewer districts, county authorities, state and federal institutions, schools and colleges, investor-owned utilities, homeowner associations, and privately owned systems (e.g., mobile home parks) — most of which serve populations of less than 10,000. It also maintains a network of 150+ associate members drawn from industry suppliers, consultants, and contractors, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

NYRWA's service portfolio centers on free on-site technical assistance delivered by Circuit Rider and State Technical Assistance field staff; a multi-channel training operation comprising classroom sessions at 15+ statewide locations, online courses delivered in partnership with SunCoast Learning Systems ($225 per 10-hour course, $160 per 5-hour course), and OSHA 10-hour construction safety training at $150; a federally-registered two-year apprenticeship program (launched 2019, transitioning in 2026 to dedicated facilities at W2 Operator Training Group Facility in Cortland); specialized fee-for-service offerings including GPS/GIS infrastructure mapping and backflow prevention device testing ($200/unit, $175/unit at 7+); and an annual Technical Training Workshop & Exhibition (47th edition in 2026) supported by the quarterly Aquafacts publication with 1,900 circulation.

The revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues (system and associate), per-course and per-unit fee income from training and backflow testing, government grants and pass-through funding from USDA Rural Utilities Service, EPA, NYS Department of Health, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (which approves training for operator certification renewal), and ancillary income from merchandise, advertising, and apprenticeship sponsorships. The association operates with a lean staff of approximately 15, with technical assistance, training, and apprenticeship coordination distributed across CEO, Deputy Director, Finance Manager, Member Services, Training Coordinator, Circuit Riders covering Eastern/Central/Western/Adirondacks regions, State Technical Assistance Providers, an Energy Efficiency Circuit Rider, a Source Water Protection Specialist, and an Apprenticeship Coordinator. NYRWA is affiliated with the National Rural Water Association, providing it with national advocacy leverage and access to the National Rural Water Apprenticeship Program.

Name

New York Rural Water Association

Legal name

New York Rural Water Association, Inc.

Website

https://nyruralwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New York Rural Water Association (founded 1979) is a not-for-profit membership organization serving over 1,400 rural drinking water and wastewater systems across New York State through free on-site technical assistance, classroom and online operator training, and a federally-registered apprenticeship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Support Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), NRW Data Management & Water Balance (IWA Methodology, GIS/SCADA Integration, Digital Twins) (EUANAKAJ)

Keywords

• Water utility training
• Wastewater technical assistance
• Rural water services
• Operator certification programs
• Source water protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Claverack

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from over 1400 member systems including villages, towns, municipal water and sewer districts, county authorities, state and federal institutions, schools and colleges, investor-owned water utilities, homeowner associations, and privately owned systems.
2. Training Services: Classroom training sessions with member discounts; online courses through SunCoast Learning Systems at $225 per 10-hour course and $160 for 5-hour course; OSHA 10-hour construction safety training at $150.
3. Backflow Device Testing Services: Backflow prevention device testing services at $200 per unit, or $175 per unit for 7+ units.
4. Associate Membership Fees: Over 150 Associate Members including industry suppliers, consultants, and contractors pay membership fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New York Rural Water Association is a not-for-profit membership association that delivers on-site technical assistance, classroom and online operator training, certification preparation (JumpStart testing), backflow device testing, GPS/GIS system mapping, and registered apprenticeship programs to rural drinking water and wastewater systems across New York State. Its member base of more than 1,400 rural water and wastewater systems and 150+ associate members relies on NYRWA for regulatory compliance support, operator certification, source water protection, and peer networking.

Product overview

New York Rural Water Association (NYRWA) is a not-for-profit membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of water and wastewater professional services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: free on-site technical assistance through Circuit Rider and State TA Provider programs for water and wastewater systems; classroom and online training programs for operator certification; specialized services including backflow device testing, GPS/GIS system mapping, and source water protection planning; a two-year registered apprenticeship program for Water and Wastewater Systems Operations Specialists; and an annual technical conference with exhibition. NYRWA also publishes the quarterly Aquafacts magazine and operates a merchandise store. The association primarily serves rural communities and small water/wastewater systems throughout New York State, with over 1400 member systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• System and Associate Membership Annual membership program offering rural water and wastewater utilities (System Members) and industry vendors/partners (Associate Members) access to NYRWA's training, technical assistance, publications, and peer community. The membership currently includes more than 1,400 system members and 150+ associate members.
• On-Site Technical Assistance for Water Systems

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• W2 Operator Training Group FacilitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Beginning in 2026, all in-person apprenticeship classes hosted at W2 Operator Training Group Facility in Cortland, NY.
• National Rural Water AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYRWA is affiliated with the National Rural Water Association and part of the National Rural Water Apprenticeship Program. NRWA provides national leadership, advocacy, and support for state associations.
• SunCoast Learning Systems, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline training provider offering seven different 10-hour courses at $225 per course and one 5-hour course at $160. NYRWA offers these courses through this partnership.
• NYS Department of Environmental ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYSDEC partners with NYRWA on operator certification and approves training sessions for certification renewal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Rural Water Association: Umbrella organization that NYRWA is directly affiliated with. Operates the same model (membership, training, technical assistance) but at a national level across all U.S. states, providing governance, advocacy, and shared apprenticeship curriculum.
• Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP): National nonprofit network providing training, technical assistance, and financial support to rural and small communities for water and wastewater infrastructure. Overlaps significantly with NYRWA's mission and funding sources (USDA/EPA).
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): Large international water sector association serving both large and small utilities. Overlaps with NYRWA on training, certification, and standards, but serves a much broader customer base including investor-owned and large municipal utilities.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): International nonprofit providing technical and educational resources on water quality and wastewater. Comparable to NYRWA on wastewater training and certification but operates at a much larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Rural Water Association: State-level rural water association serving Pennsylvania with the same membership, training, and Circuit Rider model as NYRWA. Direct functional peer offering nearly identical services to a similar rural customer base.
• Ohio Rural Water Association: Ohio's state rural water association providing training, technical assistance, and membership services to rural water/wastewater systems. Operates the same grant-funded, member-supported model as NYRWA.

Regional players

• New York Section of AWWA: New York state chapter of AWWA providing training, networking, and certification support to water utilities in NY. Direct geographic competitor for member attention and training dollars, but with a broader (less rural-specific) focus.

Others

• NYS Department of Health - Drinking Water Program: State agency that regulates drinking water in NY and funds NYRWA's State Technical Assistance Program. Functions as both a regulator and a funder; key institutional stakeholder but not a commercial competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/New-York-Rural-Water-Association/114699895236756

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 New York Rural Water Association