Delaware Rural Water Association

What Delaware Rural Water Association does

Delaware Rural Water Association (DRWA) is a non-profit membership association incorporated in 1990 and headquartered in Milford, Delaware, serving as the state's only statewide association dedicated to rural water and wastewater systems. The organization supports water and wastewater professionals — primarily operators and small municipal systems serving populations under 10,000 — through four functional pillars: technical assistance (on-site field specialists covering rate development, testing methods, regulatory compliance, Consumer Confidence Reports, and disaster/cybersecurity preparedness), training services (ASSE-certified backflow prevention courses priced from $55 to $1,120, operator certification prep courses, and free grant-funded classes), a Registered Apprenticeship Program for workforce pipeline development, and backflow testing services scheduled through the Syncta platform.

DRWA operates a community-led go-to-market model: membership requires Board of Directors approval and unlocks tiered benefits, affinity partner programs (including healthcare through Affinity Benefits), legislative representation, and event access (Annual Conference, DRWA Expo, and Bob Slater Sporting Clay Shoot). Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring membership dues, fee-based professional training, eight corporate sponsorships (HydroCorp, KCI Technologies, Pennoni Associates, Ferguson Waterworks, Southern Corrosion, 120Water, Davis Bowen & Friedel, Hawkins Inc.), and on-site backflow testing services. The team of ~14 staff includes an Executive Director (Heather Warren, appointed March 2024), Financial Director, Technical Services lead, Apprenticeship Coordinator, Source Water Specialist, Wastewater Technician, Water Circuit Rider, and EPA WW Trainer.

The organization is governed by a Board drawn from member systems (Town of Bridgeville, Town of Frederica, Town of Milton, Mountaire Farms of Delaware) and affiliated with the National Rural Water Association. Recent strategic activity includes a 2025 partnership with DNREC to assess infrastructure across Delaware's 170+ manufactured home communities, co-endorsement of the UPGRADE Act alongside NACo and SERCAP, and a new Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2026. DRWA's value proposition rests on regulatory expertise, field-experienced technical staff, and a closed-loop member ecosystem — not on proprietary technology.

Name

Delaware Rural Water Association

Legal name

Delaware Rural Water Association

Website

https://drwa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Delaware Rural Water Association is a non-profit membership association serving rural water and wastewater operators and small municipal systems across Delaware with training, technical assistance, ASSE certification, and an apprenticeship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Training Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Water Sourcing & Abstraction (Surface Water, Groundwater, Intake Works) (EUANAAAA)

Keywords

• Water utility training
• Wastewater certification
• Backflow prevention
• Operator certification
• Rural water assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Milford

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for water and wastewater systems, with tiered benefits. All membership applications must be approved by the Board of Directors.
2. Training Services: Fee-based training courses including ASSE certification programs, operator certification prep courses, and continuing education hours. Courses range from free to $1,120 depending on duration and certification type.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsor partnerships providing financial and organizational support. Sponsors include HydroCorp, KCI Technologies, Pennoni Associates, Ferguson Waterworks, Southern Corrosion, 120Water, Davis Bowen & Friedel, and Hawkins, Inc.
4. Backflow Testing Services: On-site backflow testing services offered through a dedicated scheduling platform (Syncta).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Delaware Rural Water Association is a non-profit membership association that provides training, technical assistance, and workforce development services for rural water and wastewater systems in Delaware. Its core offerings include ASSE-certified backflow prevention courses, water and wastewater operator certification preparation, a registered apprenticeship program, on-site field technical assistance (Circuit Riders), and backflow testing scheduling. Revenue is generated from annual membership dues, fee-based training courses, event registrations, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Delaware Rural Water Association (DRWA) operates as a non-profit membership organization offering a portfolio of training, technical assistance, and certification services for water and wastewater professionals. The core offerings include Water & Wastewater Training Services (featuring ASSE-certified backflow prevention courses and operator exam preparation), the DRWA Apprenticeship Program (registered apprenticeship for industry workforce development), Backflow Testing Services scheduling, and Technical Assistance services. DRWA also organizes signature events including an Annual Conference, DRWA Expo, and Annual Sporting Clay Tournament. These products and services work together to support rural water and wastewater systems across Delaware through workforce development, regulatory compliance assistance, and professional certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water and Wastewater Training Services
• DRWA Apprenticeship Program
• Backflow Testing Services
• Technical Assistance
• ASSE Backflow Prevention Certification Courses
• DRWA Events

Quantifiable outcome

• Over two decades of work implementing meaningful backflow prevention and cross-connection control protections in Delaware

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) - Division of WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DNREC Division of Water received EPA funding for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure assessment in manufactured home communities. DRWA collaborates on identifying systems needing evaluation and assistance. Verdantas contracted to conduct assessments.
• VerdantasminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Delaware engineering and environmental science consulting firm contracted by DNREC to conduct wastewater and drinking water infrastructure assessments in manufactured home communities.
• National Association of Counties (NACo)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025National advocacy organization that has endorsed the UPGRADE Act supported by DRWA, representing county governments' interests in water infrastructure.
• National Rural Water AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025National parent organization. DRWA Board member Jigar Patel previously served as Roving Circuit Rider for National Rural Water Association. DRWA President serves as National Director.
• Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Regional organization providing assistance to rural communities, co-endorsing the UPGRADE Act alongside DRWA.
• Ferguson WaterworksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Industrial plumbing and waterworks distributor as corporate sponsor. Provides water and wastewater equipment and supplies.
• Affinity BenefitscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare and ancillary benefits partner providing member benefit programs for DRWA members. Offers healthcare options and employee benefits programs specifically designed for association members.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• 120Water: Water management software and compliance platform serving public water systems; currently a DRWA corporate sponsor but also an emerging player whose integrated digital compliance tools could partially substitute for DRWA's traditional training/technical assistance.

Broad incumbents

• Water Environment Federation (WEF): Major global nonprofit for water quality professionals covering wastewater and stormwater, with overlapping training and certification offerings for utility operators.
• WaterISAC: Information sharing and analysis center for the water and wastewater sector; relevant peer given DRWA's cybersecurity training initiatives for utilities.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): Large, established international nonprofit serving the drinking water profession with overlapping training, certification, and policy advocacy for water utilities.

Direct peers

• National Rural Water Association: National umbrella organization for state rural water associations including DRWA. DRWA's President serves as National Director, making NRWA the closest peer in mission, structure, and constituency.
• Maryland Rural Water Association: State rural water association in neighboring Maryland providing analogous training, circuit rider, and technical assistance services to small systems.
• Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP): Regional rural water assistance organization co-endorsing the UPGRADE Act with DRWA; offers overlapping training, infrastructure funding access, and community development services.
• Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP): National nonprofit network providing technical assistance, training, and capacity-building to rural water and wastewater systems—directly comparable mission and customer base.
• Virginia Rural Water Association: Mid-Atlantic state rural water association with comparable membership, training, and on-site technical assistance programs for rural utilities.
• Pennsylvania Rural Water Association: State-level peer association serving rural water and wastewater systems in Pennsylvania with the same training, technical assistance, and membership model as DRWA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/drwadelaware
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drwawater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Delaware Rural Water Association