Colorado Rural Water Association

What Colorado Rural Water Association does

Colorado Rural Water Association (CRWA) is a Colorado-incorporated non-profit organization founded in 1980 that delivers technical assistance, training, and certification support to public and private water and wastewater systems serving small communities (populations under 10,000) across Colorado. CRWA operates from a Pueblo West facility that includes a 30-seat training room, and deploys Circuit Riders, Wastewater Technicians, Source Water Specialists, and Lead Specialists statewide to provide on-site technical assistance. The organization runs a Department of Labor-recognized 2-year Apprenticeship Program, administers the Colorado Certified Water Professionals (CCWP) certification function, and operates specialized programs including the Energy Efficiency Assessment Program (EEAP), Source Water Protection Program, Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Region 8, and the Test & Fix Water for Kids lead testing initiative for child care facilities and schools.

CRWA's product surface spans eleven core offerings delivered across in-person training, online self-paced courses (via Suncoast Online Learning), webinars, mini-conferences, and an annual conference featuring 175+ vendors. Revenue is generated through tiered membership fees ($125 individual, $320 associate, $215-$630 system-based on size), training fees ($50 members / $75 non-members per session), advertising in The Rural Connection quarterly magazine, and affinity program referral partnerships with vendors including ServLine, 120Water, Diamond Maps, GovCard, and GettingGreatRates.com. The organization is an affiliate of the National Rural Water Association (NRWA), which channels federal grant funding from USDA and EPA to underwrite CRWA's program operations.

CRWA serves 900+ active members representing the operator, system, and business segments of Colorado's rural water industry. Customer concentration is diffuse across 2,095 public water/wastewater systems in Colorado, with 98% being small communities under 10,000 in population. The organization addresses a workforce development crisis driven by an aging operator base (50% of workers facing retirement within 5 years), regulatory compliance requirements, and the absence of specialized expertise in rural areas. Core partnerships include NRWA, USDA, EPA, CDPHE, the State of Colorado, CCWP, EFC Region 8, and a network of affinity vendors that distribute adjacent technology and financial services to the membership base.

Name

Colorado Rural Water Association

Legal name

Colorado Rural Water Association

Website

https://crwa.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado Rural Water Association is a Colorado-based non-profit that provides training, technical assistance, and operator certification support to small community water and wastewater systems across the state, funded through USDA/EPA grants and 900+ active memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Water and Wastewater Training & Technical Assistance

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Water operator training
• Wastewater technical assistance
• Rural water association
• Utility membership services
• Source water protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individuals ($125), associates ($320), and systems ($215-$630 based on size). Membership provides access to training discounts, quarterly magazine, resource directory, library access, and job posting privileges.
2. Training Fees: Training sessions cost $50 for members and $75 for non-members. Self-paced online training is available at discounted rates for members. Additional revenue from certification exam prep materials and Sacramento manuals.
3. Grant Funding: Programs funded through NRWA which receives grant monies from USDA and EPA. Additional funding comes from 900+ active memberships.
4. Affinity Program Partnerships: Partnerships with vendors (ServLine, 120Water, Diamond Maps, GovCard, GettingGreatRates.com) generate referral/affiliate revenue through the affinity program.
5. Advertising Revenue: Advertising opportunities in quarterly magazine The Rural Connection, resource directory, training e-blasts, digital retargeting, and website sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Colorado Rural Water Association is a nonprofit association that provides professional training, technical assistance, and certification support to public and private water and wastewater systems serving small communities in Colorado. Core deliverables include operator training (webinar, in-person, self-paced online, annual conference), a DOL-recognized apprenticeship program, on-site technical assistance from Circuit Riders and wastewater specialists, source water protection planning, free energy efficiency assessments, lead-in-drinking-water testing for schools and child care, and CCWP operator certification administration.

Product overview

Colorado Rural Water Association (CRWA) is a nonprofit organization providing professional training, technical assistance, and political representation to rural and small communities in Colorado for water and wastewater systems. The organization's core offerings include: (1) Apprenticeship Program - a 2-year DOL-recognized training program for water/wastewater professionals; (2) Technical Assistance delivered via Circuit Riders, Wastewater Technicians, and specialists covering water, wastewater, collection, distribution, source water, and energy efficiency; (3) Source Water Protection Program with up to $5,000 in grant funding; (4) Environmental Finance Center (Region 8) for funding guidance and asset management; (5) Energy Efficiency Assessment Program offering free assessments; (6) Test & Fix Water for Kids Program for lead testing in schools/childcare; (7) Scholarship Program awarding three $1,200 scholarships annually; (8) Multi-format Training including webinars, online self-paced, mini-conferences, and annual conference with 175+ vendors; (9) CCWP Certification Support for Colorado water professionals; and (10) a Members-only Library of 300+ technical materials. CRWA serves 98% of Colorado's 2,095 small public water/wastewater systems (under 10,000 population) with a 900+ active membership base.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Test & Fix Water for Kids: Program for testing drinking water for lead in family child care homes, child care centers, public schools, and charter schools (grades Pre-K through 5) providing free resources to conduct tests and correct problems.
• CCWP (Colorado Certified Water Professionals)
• Environmental Finance Center (EFC) Region 8

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Program A 2-year Department of Labor-recognized training program that trains the next generation of water and wastewater professionals in Colorado. Upon completion, apprentices can become certified Operations Specialists.
• Technical Assistance On-site technical assistance provided by Circuit Riders, Wastewater Technicians, and specialists covering water, wastewater, collection, distribution, source water, and energy efficiency for small communities in Colorado.
• Source Water Protection Program Assists public water systems in developing and implementing source water protection plans, with grant funding up to $5,000 available for development and implementation through a State of Colorado matching grant.
• Environmental Finance Center (Region 8) Provides technical assistance to Colorado water systems for financial sustainability, asset management, funding guidance, climate resiliency, and contaminant mitigation.
• Energy Efficiency Assessment Program (EEAP) FREE energy efficiency assessments for water and wastewater systems, funded through a USDA Rural Utilities Service grant, providing recommendations for energy-efficient practices and technologies.
• Test & Fix Water for Kids Program Free drinking water testing for lead in childcare homes, centers, public schools, and charter schools (Pre-K through 5th grade) with resources to conduct tests and correct problems, operated under CDPHE oversight.
• Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program awarding three $1,200 scholarships to graduating high school students and undergraduate students of CRWA members.
• Training Programs Multi-format training including Webinars/In-Person ($50 members/$75 non-members), Online Self-Paced Training, Mini-Conferences/Workshops, and Annual Conference featuring 175+ vendors covering all five certification disciplines.
• CCWP Certification Support Colorado Certified Water Professionals (CCWP) program providing operator certification reviews, examination applications, renewals, and re-certification support for water and wastewater operators.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership including Individual ($125/year), Associate ($320/year for engineering firms, labs, businesses), and System Membership ($215-$630/year based on size) with voting privileges and training discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,095 public water/wastewater systems in Colorado, with 98% being small communities under 10,000 population served by CRWA
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Rural Water Association (NRWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRWA is an affiliate of NRWA headquartered in Duncan, Oklahoma. Every state in the USA is active under NRWA. CRWA's programs are funded through NRWA which receives grant monies from USDA and EPA. NRWA developed the nationally recognized apprenticeship program that CRWA implements in Colorado.
• Colorado Certified Water Professionals (CCWP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRWA staff provides customer service to operators, prospective operators, CDPHE and system owners. CCWP reviews certification requirements, examination applications, and renewal applications. CRWA partners with CCWP to offer training units and certification support.
• State of ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState of Colorado provides up to $5,000 matching grants for source water protection plan development and implementation. CRWA assists water systems with grant applications and plan implementation.
• Environmental Financial Center (EFC) Region 8coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFC Region 8 representative provides technical assistance to Colorado water systems for financial sustainability and public health. Services include asset management, engineering assistance, funding guidance, contaminant mitigation, and regulation adherence.
• HomeServe (ServLine Leak Protection)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity partnership offering leak protection programs for utilities and customers. ServLine protects from excess water bills due to leaks, helps utilities recapture lost revenue, and handles customer service functions.
• 120WaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity partnership providing digital sampling kits, cloud-based software, and end-to-end solution programs for water and wastewater utilities to help protect public health.
• GovCardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity partnership providing digital marketing solutions including website convenience features, news reels, event calendars, and payment collection tools for utilities.
• GettingGreatRates.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffinity partnership providing rate study guidance for utilities. GGR has partnered with CRWA and other state associations across the country.
• The Association PartnerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising partnership for delivering training e-blasts to thousands of water/wastewater professionals and digital retargeting campaigns.
• Naylor, LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial integrated media communication partner for quarterly magazine The Rural Connection and CRWA Resource Directory since 1969.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRWA is the official technical assistance provider for the Test & Fix Water for Kids program. CDPHE oversees the program requiring lead testing in child care facilities and schools.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Rural Water Association: State-level NRWA affiliate delivering the same training, Circuit Rider technical assistance, apprenticeship, and membership programs as CRWA but for Texas. Closest functional match—same business model, same funding architecture, same small-system target market.
• New York Rural Water Association: New York state NRWA affiliate operating the same training, Circuit Rider, and membership model for small water/wastewater systems—directly comparable functional peer in a different geography.
• Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP): National nonprofit network providing training, technical assistance, and capacity building to rural water and wastewater systems—same mission and target audience as CRWA but with regional RCAP partners rather than state-level operating affiliates.
• California Rural Water Association: Another NRWA state affiliate delivering training, technical assistance, source water protection, and energy efficiency services to California's small water/wastewater systems. Operates the same playbook as CRWA in a different geography.

Others

• National Association of Water Companies (NAWC): Trade association representing investor-owned water utilities; addresses adjacent industry-policy issues but serves a different ownership/operational segment than CRWA's small public/rural system focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Rural Water Association (NRWA): CRWA's national affiliate, headquartered in Duncan, Oklahoma; oversees state rural water associations across all 50 states, channels USDA/EPA grants, and developed the nationally recognized apprenticeship program CRWA implements in Colorado. Operates the same training/technical-assistance model at the national level.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): Larger, broader water utility industry association offering operator certification, training, and standards—but serving utilities of all sizes rather than specializing in small rural communities like CRWA. Comparable on the training/certification dimension, broader in scope.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): National wastewater-focused association providing training, certification, and technical resources. Comparable on the operator training and technical assistance layers CRWA covers, but not specifically rural-focused.

Emerging players

• 120Water: CRWA affinity partner offering digital lead-in-water sampling and compliance software to utilities. Overlaps with CRWA's Test & Fix Water for Kids program on lead testing but is a private tech vendor rather than a training/technical-assistance provider.
• Environmental Finance Center Region 8 (CRWA hosts): Hosted within CRWA but part of a multi-region EPA-funded network providing financial/asset management technical assistance to water systems—overlapping adjacent rather than fully competing with CRWA's core training mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 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 Colorado Rural Water Association