The Tarheel Pipeline, Spring 2016

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4 | Spring 2016
from the executive director
meeting on time. Oftentimes, we stop for a quick lunch in one of the
cafeterias, but sometimes, time doesn’t allow so we push on with
the schedule. By 4:30 PM, we are normally wrapping up, and it’s a
footrace back to the Metro station to catch the 5:07 PM Metro south
back to the hotel so we can make our 7:00 PM dinner reservations.
Dinner is a time of recapping and networking with other attendees and
is truly the first relaxing break of the day. All in all, each group’s day
on Capitol Hill tallies up about 7 to 8 miles of walking.
The following morning, the 1st group departs for North Carolina
and the 2nd or 3rd group of attendees begins their day with a 5:00 AM
wake-up call…
As mentioned, each year NCRWA coordinates a group from each
Congressional District to attend. We are fortunate that some of
our Members system’s span across District lines so it allows a
single attendee to represent the interests of constituents in multiple
Congressional Districts. Many of our Board and Legislative
Committee members attend Rally each year. On behalf of the NCRWA
Board of Directors and Membership, I would like to extend our most
sincere appreciation to the following attendees (non-Board members)
and systems for supporting our efforts in DC this year:
• Ron Sink – Davidson Water, Inc.
• Danny Sloan – Iredell Water Corporation
• Carrie Gilbert – Daniel Morgan Water District
• Brad Cornwell – Cleveland County Water
• Jon Pons – Icard Township Water Corporation
• Deems Blanton – Town of Mt. Olive
• Mike Houston – Jones County Water (2015 NCRWA Water Taste Test Winner)
While all the logistics and attendees are very important, the purpose
of Rally is really about the message and outcome of our efforts. Each
year, NCRWA’s attendees carry a simple yet very complex message to
the Congressional Offices. Attendees are ask to tell their system’s story
of why Rural Water is important and why Congress should support
Rural Water initiatives. Testimonies of Rural Water’s importance
range from meeting training needs for systems to being the “knight in
shining armor that came riding into town on a white horse” (speaking
of technical assistance from our circuit riders) when the system was
having its worst of days. It is humbling to listen to systems tell the
stories of their struggles and how Rural Water assisted them.
The outcomes of our work on Capitol Hill are two-fold. First, we
request funding for the continuation of technical assistance and training
programs, funding for source water protection planning programs, and
most importantly, funding for infrastructure loans and grants through
USDA and the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Programs. Then, we
request their assistance with regulatory reform issues for our industry.
This year these conversations were overwhelmed by discussions of
Lead and Copper issues in response to the public outcry to tighten
these regulations on every system in response to the Flint, Michigan
crisis. Rural Water pleaded with Congress to not make industry-wide
knee-jerk reactions to non-compliances in a very minimal number of
systems. We also carried a detailed list of other reform priorities to
Congress and will continue a push to see these come to pass much like
our efforts to move the CCR to electronic distribution a few years ago.
Concluding, I want again say thank you for your continued support as
Members of NCRWA. Without your support, we could not continue
providing a unified voice for you in DC and Raleigh. I also want to
encourage you to get involved with our efforts. It doesn’t require
traveling to be involved. If you have a story to tell, we would love to
have our staff write it for submission with our ongoing success stories
to Congress and possible inclusion in The Tarheel Pipeline. Contact us
anytime that we can be of assistance, and I look forward to seeing you
in Greensboro in May!
Sincerely,
Daniel Wilson, PE, CAE, UMC
Executive Director, NCRWA