Ohio Rural Water Association

What Ohio Rural Water Association does

Ohio Rural Water Association (ORWA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership association, founded in 1976 and headquartered in Zanesville, Ohio, that provides technical assistance, training, and advocacy to small and rural water and wastewater utilities across the state. Its system members collectively serve more than 2 million Ohioans, making ORWA the largest rural water and wastewater community in Ohio. Core services include free on-site technical assistance via a network of circuit riders (leak detection, valve exercising, smoke testing, camera inspections), Ohio EPA-approved continuing education (CEU) training delivered through in-person events and a SunCoast Learning online platform, GIS-based asset management assistance built on ESRI ArcGIS Online, and Consumer Confidence Report hosting. The organization also runs an annual conference, a Fall Operators' Expo, quarterly meetings, an Operator Field Day, and a Clamp Champ skills competition, supported by WaterLog magazine and the Ohio Women of Rural Water (OWORW) sub-community.

The business model is a hybrid of membership dues, event registration fees, training/CEU fees, and Affinity+ referral revenue from partner vendors (CoBank, Onyx, Servline, RWI, IRIS, BSR, Intellicorp). System membership is tiered by service connections from $88 to $1,375 per year; associate membership ranges from $450 to $3,500; community partner membership is $350; and individual membership is $35. Event fees vary by event and member status (e.g., Annual Conference full registration $400 member / $500 non-member; Fall Expo one-day $150 member / $210 non-member; online training $225 per CEU). Funding is supplemented by grants from USDA Rural Development, the U.S. EPA, and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, with field outreach, regulatory partnerships, and recurring in-person and online events driving both member acquisition and retention.

Name

Ohio Rural Water Association

Legal name

Ohio Rural Water Association

Website

https://ohioruralwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

NRW Data Management & Water Balance (IWA Methodology, GIS/SCADA Integration, Digital Twins) (EUANAKAJ)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater management
• Utility training programs
• GIS mapping services
• Regulatory compliance assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Zanesville

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 fees based on number of service connections for system members, and flat fees for associate, community partner, and individual members. Dues range from $88/year (1-300 connections) to $1,375/year (10,000+ connections).
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from Annual Training Conference, Fall Operators' Expo, and other events. Pricing varies by member status and event type (full conference, one-day passes, exhibitor booths).
3. Training and CEU Fees: Fees for in-person training sessions, online courses through SunCoast Learning ($225 per CEU), and certification exam preparation courses. Member discounts are available.
4. Affinity+ Program Partnerships: Partnership programs with vendors (CoBank, fleet programs, insurance, energy brokerage) that provide revenue through referral arrangements and preferred vendor relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ORWA provides free and affordable technical assistance, training, education, and legislative advocacy to small and rural public water and wastewater utilities across Ohio. Core services include on-site circuit rider support (leak detection, valve exercising, smoke testing, camera inspections), hands-on and online operator training with CEU credits, GIS mapping and asset management assistance using ESRI ArcGIS Online, regulatory compliance support, and access to funding/grant programs.

Product overview

Ohio Rural Water Association is a non-profit member-based organization providing technical assistance, education, and support services to Ohio's small and rural water and wastewater utilities since 1979. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of services including hands-on training programs (Smoke Testing Training, Operator Field Day, Clamp Champ Challenge), online training through SunCoast Learning partnership, and in-person events (Annual Training Conference, Fall Operators' Expo, Quarterly Meetings). Technical assistance services encompass leak detection, valve exercising, GIS mapping using ESRI ArcGIS Online, asset management, and regulatory compliance support. Additional offerings include Consumer Confidence Report hosting, PFAS cost recovery assistance, the WaterLog Annual Magazine, Ohio Women of Rural Water community, Affinity+ partner program, and Career Center resources. Membership tiers include System, Associate, Community Partner, and Individual categories with tiered pricing based on service connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ohio Women of Rural Water (OWORW): A community dedicated to celebrating and strengthening the role of women in the water and wastewater industry, formed in 2024.

Products and services

• Technical Assistance Services Free and affordable on-site technical assistance for water and wastewater systems, including leak detection and surveys, valve exercising, flushing programs, source water protection plan development, energy efficiency assessments, plant equipment troubleshooting, asset management, and GIS mapping support. Available to non-profit and public entities serving populations under 10,000.
• GIS Mapping Assistance Free GIS mapping services for small public water systems using the ESRI ArcGIS Online platform. Includes a mapping template with 19 different asset types and hundreds of custom fillable fields. Enables real-time field data collection and editing, offline collection capability, photo and video attachments, service logs per asset, and nested assets within assets. Includes 1-3 days of on-site training.
• Asset Management Program
• Online Training (SunCoast Learning Partnership) Self-paced, on-demand online training for water and wastewater professionals offered through partnership with SunCoast Learning. Courses cost $225 for one CEU (approximately 12 hours of instruction). The Learning Management System tracks registration, enrollments, time in course, quiz scores, and course status. 12 months to complete with 24/7 access.
• Annual Training Conference Annual conference bringing together over 200 water and wastewater professionals for training, networking, and career growth. Features exhibit hall, breakout sessions on technical topics, workshops, and special events including Water Taste Contest and Awards of Excellence. Includes 50th anniversary celebration in 2026. Full Registration: Member $400, Non-Member $500, Small System Member $300.
• Fall Operators' Expo Premier annual training event featuring two days of intensive training offering up to 12 Hours of Water/Wastewater Operations and Maintenance CEUs. Includes continental breakfast and lunch, exhibit hall with cutting-edge technology and services, Sportsmen Raffle, and Operator of the Year awards. Member One Day Pass: $150; Member Both Days: $230; Non-Member rates higher.
• Operator Field Day One-day hands-on training event offering up to 5 Operations and Maintenance CEUs. Features rotating stations where attendees interact directly with trainers and equipment in small groups of 10-15 individuals. Includes breakfast, lunch, raffle prizes, and tools demonstrations. $35 per person.
• Smoke Testing Training Hands-on training session providing real-world experience in smoke testing sanitary sewer systems. Covers proper and safe use of smoke testing equipment, testing layout, documentation of violations and incidents, and public relations. Ohio EPA-approved for contact hours varying by session (4.0-6.0 hours).
• Clamp Champ Challenge Annual competition event featuring 2.5 hours of Ohio EPA certified Water & Wastewater Operations and Maintenance Training followed by a repair band installation competition. Free to attend. Teams of 2 compete to install repair bands fastest with penalties for loose nuts (3-second) and active leaks (5-second).
• Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Hosting Annual hosting service for Consumer Confidence Reports on the ORWA website. Provides affordable online presence for CCR accessibility. Annual fee: $50 for ORWA members and $150 for non-members.
• PFAS Cost Recovery Program Partnership with National Rural Water Association and Napoli Shkolnik PLLC to help water systems recover costs from PFAS contamination. Access to $15.4 billion dollar settlement from 3M/DuPont. Zero cost to register. Systems with PFAS detections eligible based on level of detection and maximum daily flows.
• Affinity+ Program Partnership program promoting reliable and proven industry-specific services to member rural water and wastewater treatment systems. Includes CoBank (loans/leasing), Onyx (energy cost brokerage), NRWA products, Servline (leak insurance), RWI (utility websites), NRWA Revolving Loan Fund, IRIS (mass notification), BSR (cybersecurity), Intellicorp (background checks), and Fleet Program (vehicle discounts).
• WaterLog Annual Magazine Annual magazine featuring updates, stories, and important information for Ohio's rural water and wastewater community. Published as interactive digital edition and provided as hard copy to members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100,000 gallons per day water loss reduction for Village of Butler after leak detection
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio EPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regulatory partner providing funding through Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) for water and wastewater infrastructure. Ohio EPA approves ORWA training for CEU credits and provides regulatory guidance.
• National Rural Water Association (NRWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational parent organization providing training resources, PFAS litigation support through Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, fleet program benefits, and connections to rural water associations across the country.
• SunCoast Learning Systems, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for self-paced, on-demand online training for water and wastewater professionals. Provides learning management system and course delivery platform for ORWA's online education offerings at $225 per CEU.
• ESRI (ArcGIS)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of ArcGIS Online platform used for ORWA's GIS mapping template for small public water systems. Enables real-time field data collection and cloud-based asset management.
• Smith-BlairminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduct partner for Clamp Champ Challenge annual competition. Provides repair bands for hands-on training competition for water/wastewater professionals.
• Zenner USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Ultimate Meter Challenge competition at Fall Operators' Expo. Provides water meters for competition and practice kits for early registrants.
• McWane DuctileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent sponsor for Fall Operators' Expo Game Day Kickoff Party. Provides complimentary appetizers for attendees.
• OnyxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner for energy cost brokerage services, helping member utilities manage energy expenses.
• ServlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner providing leak insurance programs for member water systems.
• RWI (Rural Water Interactive)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner providing utility website services for member water systems.
• IRISminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner providing mass notification systems for member utilities.
• BSR (Business Solutions Resources)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner providing cybersecurity services for member water systems.
• IntellicorpminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffinity+ Program partner providing background check and screening services.
• Napoli Shkolnik PLLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner through NRWA for PFAS Cost Recovery Program. Represents public water systems in litigation against PFAS manufacturers (3M, DuPont). Settlement totaling $15.4 billion available for eligible systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Water Environment Federation (WEF): National organization focused on water quality and wastewater treatment professionals, with overlapping training, certification, and member-event offerings relevant to ORWA's wastewater circuit rider and training programs.
• National Rural Water Association: National umbrella organization that provides training resources, legal/PFAS support, and shared programs to all state rural water associations, including ORWA. Directly comparable as a peer/parent in the same rural water support category.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): Large national industry association for water utilities that overlaps with ORWA on training, standards, and advocacy. AWWA serves utilities of all sizes while ORWA focuses exclusively on small/rural systems, but both compete for operator training and certification mindshare.

Others

• ESRI (ArcGIS): Provider of the ArcGIS Online platform that ORWA uses as the foundation for its GIS mapping template. A direct technology partner and ecosystem enabler, but not a direct competitor; relevant because ESRI's evolving small-utility offerings could eventually compete with ORWA's tailored template.

Regional players

• Ohio Section AWWA: Ohio state chapter of AWWA serving water utility professionals in the same geography as ORWA with overlapping training, certification, and event programs; competes for the same Ohio operator audience.
• Ohio Water Environment Association (OWEA): Ohio's WEF state affiliate providing wastewater-focused training, certification, and advocacy to professionals in ORWA's core service area, with meaningful overlap on wastewater operator training content.

Direct peers

• Indiana Rural Water Association: State-level sister association providing technical assistance, training, circuit rider support, and advocacy to rural water and wastewater utilities in Indiana. Operates an essentially identical model to ORWA in a neighboring state.
• Kentucky Rural Water Association: Kentucky's state rural water association offering circuit rider technical assistance, training/CEU programs, leak detection, and advocacy to member utilities. Same charter, funding mix (USDA/EPA), and service portfolio as ORWA.
• Pennsylvania Rural Water Association: State-level rural water and wastewater association serving Pennsylvania utilities with training, technical assistance, and legislative advocacy. Closely analogous membership-based service model to ORWA.
• RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Partnership): National network of regional nonprofit organizations providing training, technical assistance, and capacity building to small rural water and wastewater systems — directly overlapping ORWA's mission and service lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-rural-water-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ohio Rural Water Association