NGWA

What NGWA does

The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1948 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. It serves the U.S. groundwater industry across four primary member constituencies — water well drilling contractors, groundwater scientists and engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers — together with secondary audiences of private well owners (43+ million Americans per U.S. Geological Survey), students, early-career professionals, and government/regulatory bodies. NGWA's governance is section-based, with Vice Presidents for each constituency on the Board of Directors, and it operates a network of state affiliates and 200+ domestic and international MOUs including with the International Association of Hydrogeologists, IGSHPA, and AASG.

NGWA's product surface spans three peer-reviewed journals (Groundwater, Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, Water Well Journal), professional certification programs (Contractor Certification and CVCLD Geothermal Driller), the annual Groundwater Week conference, the Darcy Lecture series, and a member-exclusive webinar program. Its digital platforms include NGWA Business PRO (a cloud-based ERP for drilling companies with customer, site, work-order, inventory, invoicing, and recurring-maintenance modules integrated with QuickBooks Online), the NGWA Water Well Map (a free tool jointly developed with WellOwner.org tracking 14+ million U.S. wells with depth, construction, and water-quality data), the NGWA Learning Center on PathLMS, the NGWA Store for publications and safety resources, and the dedicated WellOwner.org consumer site.

NGWA is funded through member dues, advertising in its journals and digital channels, product sales, event and conference registration, certification fees, software subscriptions ($75/month member, $115/month non-member for NGWA Business PRO), and its recently launched Water Well Loans program. The association runs three wholly-owned operating subsidiaries: the Groundwater Foundation (education, scholarships, clean-water access), Water Well Wish (community clean-water access initiatives), and NGWA Business PRO (vertical SaaS). Headcount is 11–50, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

NGWA

Legal name

National Ground Water Association

Website

https://ngwa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NGWA is a 77-year-old U.S. nonprofit trade association serving water well contractors, groundwater scientists, manufacturers, and suppliers through membership, certification, peer-reviewed journals, annual conferences, and a 14-million-record national water well map.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services (Groundwater Industry)

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Groundwater association membership
• Well drilling certification
• Hydrogeology professional development
• Groundwater publications journals
• Water well industry software

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from multiple categories including contractors, scientists, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, associates, students, and early career professionals.
2. Advertising Revenue: Revenue from advertising opportunities across NGWA publications including Water Well Journal and Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation journals, websites, online buyers guide, member newsletter, and email promotions. Also includes NGWA Industry Directory premier listings.
3. Product Sales: Sales of publications, books, training materials, safety manuals, best suggested practices documents, and educational kits through the NGWA Store. Includes both physical and digital downloadable products.
4. Event Fees: Registration fees for conferences, webinars, the annual Groundwater Week, Darcy Lecture series, and various education programs. Includes CEU (continuing education unit) credits for professional development.
5. Software Subscriptions: NGWA Business PRO ERP software subscription pricing: $75/month for members, $115/month for non-members, with setup fees. Current Well Magic users receive free migration.
6. Water Well Loans: Specialized water well loans launched April 2024 to facilitate funding for well construction and maintenance, supporting sustainable groundwater management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NGWA is a nonprofit professional membership association that serves the U.S. groundwater industry through membership tiers (Contractors, Scientists and Engineers, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Associates, Students, Early Career Professionals), industry certification programs, peer-reviewed journals, the annual Groundwater Week conference, online education and webinars, and the NGWA Business PRO cloud-based ERP for drilling companies. The association also operates the Water Well Map (tracking 14+ million wells), specialized water well loans, the Groundwater Foundation for education, and the WellOwner.org consumer resource site.

Product overview

NGWA offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services for the groundwater industry. The core offerings include NGWA Business PRO (an ERP system for drilling and water well companies), the NGWA Water Well Map (mapping tool tracking 14+ million wells), professional publications (Groundwater Journal, Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation Journal, Water Well Journal), the NGWA Learning Center (education and webinars), professional certification programs, specialized water well loans, NGWA Press publications, and an online store. These products serve contractors, scientists, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, and well owners across the groundwater sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Groundwater Foundation: A subsidiary focused on education, clean water access, and investing in the next generation of groundwater professionals.
• Water Well Wish
• NGWA Business PRO

Products and services

• NGWA Professional Membership (Contractors, Scientists and Engineers, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Associates, Students, Early Career Professionals, Retired) Annual professional membership offering access to NGWA member benefits across eight audience tiers: Contractors, Scientists and Engineers, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Associates, Students, Early Career Professionals, and Retired. Members gain access to the Water Well Map, member discounts, peer networking, advocacy representation, and industry reports.
• NGWA Business PRO Cloud-based ERP system purpose-built for water well drilling and installation companies, covering customer management, site management, estimates, work orders, inventory, invoicing, service tickets, recurring maintenance, inspections, scheduling, and purchase orders, integrated with QuickBooks Online. Pricing is $75/month for NGWA members and $115/month for non-members, with setup and optional data-conversion fees.
• NGWA Water Well Map Free online mapping tool tracking more than 14 million water wells across the United States, providing details on location, depth, construction dates, and water quality to help homeowners, communities, and groundwater professionals make informed water decisions.
• NGWA Water Well Loans Specialized financing program for water well construction and maintenance, supporting sustainable groundwater management by providing well owners access to funding; offered through NGWA to support the industry and well owners.
• NGWA Certification Programs (Contractor Certification and Geothermal Driller / CVCLD) Professional certification offerings for groundwater industry professionals, including Contractor Certification and the Geothermal Driller (CVCLD) certification, supporting licensing requirements and professional status for drillers and contractors.
• NGWA Learning Center (Online Education and Webinar Series) Online education platform (PathLMS-based) delivering webinars, courses, the Darcy Lecture Series, and the Hydrogeology of States webinar series for continuing education units (CEUs) and professional development for groundwater professionals.
• Groundwater Week (Annual Conference and Exhibition) Annual flagship NGWA conference featuring exhibiting, sponsorship, technical sessions, and networking opportunities for groundwater industry professionals, contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Groundwater Journal Peer-reviewed scientific journal covering groundwater science and hydrogeology research, published by NGWA in partnership with Wiley Online Library, with advertising opportunities for groundwater industry companies.
• Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation Journal (GWMR) Peer-reviewed journal focused on groundwater monitoring and remediation techniques, published by NGWA in partnership with Wiley Online Library, with advertising inventory for industry suppliers and service providers.
• Water Well Journal Industry trade publication covering water well technology, drilling practices, and the broader groundwater industry, providing editorial content and advertising inventory for manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers.
• NGWA Press (Books and Educational Materials) Publishing arm of NGWA producing books, white papers, best suggested practices, position papers, information briefs, consumer information sheets, and educational materials for the groundwater industry, sold through the NGWA Store.
• NGWA Store (Publication and Educational Retail) Online retail platform at ngwa.org/store offering groundwater industry publications, training materials, safety resources, and educational kits with both member and non-member pricing on items such as the Employee Safety Manual, Basic Water Systems, Art of Water Wells, and Awesome Aquifer Kit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14+ million water wells tracked on the Water Well Map
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of American State GeologistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic MOU partnership with association of state geologists for collaboration on groundwater policy and research initiatives.
• Environmental and Engineering Geophysical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic MOU for professional collaboration on geophysical methods in groundwater exploration and environmental applications.
• International Ground Source Heat Pump AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU partnership promoting geothermal energy applications and ground source heat pump technology in water well contexts.
• International Association of HydrogeologistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership with leading hydrogeology professional organization for knowledge sharing and professional development.
• WellOwner.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of Water Well Map tool tracking 14+ million wells, providing well information to homeowners and groundwater professionals. NGWA and WellOwner.org collaborated on this free online mapping tool.
• Groundwater FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational arm of NGWA focused on groundwater awareness, scholarships, and public education about groundwater resources.
• Geological Society of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for professional collaboration on geological and hydrogeological research.
• Argentinian National Water InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational MOU for cooperation on water research and groundwater management between U.S. and Argentina.
• Brazilian Ground Water Association (ABAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Brazilian groundwater professionals for knowledge exchange and research collaboration.
• European Ground Source Heat Pump AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership supporting geothermal and ground source heat pump industry development.
• International Ground Resource Assessment CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UN-affiliated center for global groundwater resource assessment and management.
• Japan Groundwater AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational MOU with Japanese hydrogeology professionals for groundwater research collaboration.
• Korea Ground Water AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Korean groundwater professionals for industry collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Australian Drilling Industry AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Australian drilling industry for professional exchange and best practices.
• National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australian research center for groundwater research and professional training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Water Works Association: AWWA is the largest U.S. water-utility trade association, covering drinking water treatment and distribution. It overlaps NGWA in water-sector membership, certification, conferences, and policy advocacy, but focuses on municipal/utility water rather than private groundwater.
• Water Environment Federation: WEF is the leading global wastewater-focused trade association with similar membership, certification, and conference infrastructure. While its core focus is wastewater, it overlaps NGWA on water-quality advocacy, journals, and professional development programs.
• American Geophysical Union: AGU is a large scientific society publishing peer-reviewed journals across earth and space sciences, including hydrology. It competes for the groundwater-scientist membership segment via journals, conferences, and certifications, but on a much broader science agenda.
• Geological Society of America: GSA is a broad scientific society for geoscientists with hydrogeology divisions, journals, and annual meetings that overlap with NGWA's scientist/engineer constituency. It is already an NGWA international MOU partner but competes for professional society membership and journal subscriptions.
• American Society of Civil Engineers - Environmental & Water Resources Institute: EWRI is ASCE's technical institute for water-resources and environmental engineers, offering peer-reviewed publications, conferences, and certification that overlap with NGWA's scientist/engineer audience. It serves a much broader civil-engineering constituency.

Direct peers

• National Rural Water Association: NRWA is a nonprofit membership association serving small rural water and wastewater systems. It directly mirrors NGWA's trade-association model — state affiliates, training, certification, and advocacy — but targets rural utility operators rather than groundwater contractors and scientists.
• International Association of Hydrogeologists: IAH is the global professional association for hydrogeologists with overlapping publications, conferences, and scientific membership. It is already a core NGWA MOU partner, but as a separate association it competes for the same scientists/engineers segment internationally.

Regional players

• Irrigation Association: IA is a U.S. trade association for irrigation equipment and contractors with a comparable membership, certification, and conference model. Its focus on irrigation rather than drinking water/groundwater makes it adjacent rather than direct, but it serves an overlapping rural water-contractor audience.
• National Water Well Association of Australia (Australian Drilling Industry Association): ADIA is the Australian equivalent of NGWA, representing the drilling industry with training, certification, and advocacy. Already an NGWA international MOU partner, it provides a comparable model for international benchmarking and cross-border membership competition.

Others

• ServiceTitan: ServiceTitan is a leading field-service management SaaS used by trades contractors. While not a membership association, it is the most credible horizontal competitor to NGWA Business PRO for water-well drilling contractors evaluating software options.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ngwatweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NGWATUBE
• Facebookfacebook.com/ngwafb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4204578&trk=anet_ug_hm
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalgroundwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 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 NGWA