Click here to update your calendar!!!! http://www.msrwa.org/calendar-of-events 

Continuing education credits will be offered on Tuesday, August 17, Wednesday, August 18 and the Operator Expo will be presented on Thursday, August 19th.

Once again, our Associate Members will be on hand to share the latest in industry trends and specialty products. These industry professionals will again display the best and latest in supplies, materials, and services at tabletop displays. There will also be an equipment parade, Leak Repair contest with cash prizes, and there will be more contests and prizes…So register today!

Click Here for Registration Information!

Click Here for Exhibitor Information!

Exhibitors can be on hand to share the latest in industry trends and specialty products. These industry professionals will again display the best and latest in supplies, materials, and services at the popular outdoor exhibits along with tabletop displays.

Exhibitors click here for more information.

Mississippi Rural Water Association kicked off the 2010 Summer Training on the MS Gulf Coast with a Pig Roast, Luau and Live Music on the beach. Everyone enjoyed the Pulled Pork that was provided by Wofford Water Service, Inc. Also, thanks to Buddy Zimmerman with City of Bay St. Louis for providing the tasty baked beans. Our shrimp boil & fish fry was a great success despite the ever popular afternoon thunderstorm. Mr. David Koehn with Black Bayou Water Association in Leland, MS provided guest with homemade ice cream. His ice cream maker was a big hit too. We ended the shrimp boil/fish fry with the always popular Dunking Booth. Everyone had fun dunking their favorite MsRWA employee even the kids joined in on the fun. All the proceeds from the dunking booth went toward the Ed May Scholarship fund. If you would like to make a monetary donation to the scholarship fund at anytime, please call us at 800-343-2520.

The Summer Training was successful thanks to our employees, volunteers, chefs, trainers and sponsors. Without them, the Summer Training would not be possible. With their help, next year should be even better! We hope to see you all at our 2010 Fall Training and Operator Expo on August 17th- 19th in Batesville. See the back cover for more information on the expo. If you have not received your Fall Training/Operator Expo Packet, please click on the link on the home page or call us for a registration packet at 800-343-2520.

Sponsors of 2010 Summer Training:

MsRWA Platinum Sponsors
Faulkner Pipe Company, Inc
Kidwell & Company
Magnolia Pump Company
Southeastern Tank

MsRWA Silver Sponsors
Carraway Computer Systems, LLC
Summit Pipe & Supply
The Crom Corporation
The Nowell Agency
United Systems & Software, Inc.

MsRWA Gold Sponsors
Central Pipe & Supply, Inc.
Southern Pipe & Supply Co, Inc.

Event Sponsors:
Blue Ox, LLC
Compton Engineering, Inc
Dungan Engineering, PA
Loctite
Southern Waterworks Supply
Taylor Power Systems
The Hydro Hawk

Chefs
Griner Drilling Company, Inc.
Wofford Water Service, Inc.
David Koehn of Black Bayou Water Association
Buddy Zimmerman of City of Bay St. Louis

And all the MsRWA Employees….

• Taste
• Clarity
• Odor

The Judges for the competition were Jackie Ponti with Rural Development, Harry Gong, Ms Department of Health State Revolving Fund Division and Dennis Sternberg, Arkansas Rural Water Association.  When the last taste test sample was judged and the ratings were calculated, the 2010 Water Taste Test Winner was announced.

Congratulations to the City of Quitman for the “Best Water in The Great State of Mississippi”! 

 A little more than five years ago two new employees began taking care of what George had built and maintained almost since the first well was drilled in 1968. Cynthia Leggett heard that he was looking for someone to work in the office. She called him about the opening and was hired. The Erata office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00pm – 5:00pm. 

 Cynthia is the Office Manager and says, “I’ve been so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work here. All of our customers are great. They’ve taken me under their wing, and we work together to deal with the hardships that are bound to happen to us all. My philosophy is simply to treat people the way I want to be treated. Wayne and I work great together. We want our customers to know we care about them and their needs.”

 Wayne Dunston is Erata’s licensed operator. He also came to work about five years ago. He works part time for Erata and serves as the Public Works Director for Sandersville. Wayne was a pipefitter for 26 years and worked in the private sector during that time. He left during a changeover in the company. He too was hired by George Smith.

 Wayne said, “Mr. George did more for this water system than anybody really knows. He was a good operator, but also a good businessman. He recognized the value of making sure the rate structure allowed for a first rate system and really good water. When I left my job, he told me I ought to start a new career in the water industry. He helped me get started. We drove around the system and he showed me all kinds of things. I’m not sure I’d be here today without his encouragement.”

 So this story is the story of a great history passing the baton to a promising future. Cynthia said, “Erata is also blessed with a board that is in tune with the needs of our system. “

 Board members include John Kersh, President; Q. C. Bonner, Vice President; Sara Brown, Secretary; and William Trotter.

 This system with 321 meters flies an American flag atop their 50,000 gallon elevated storage tank. The system has two projects going on presently. Their storage tank has been restored and two new wells are almost complete.  The projects were funded by Rural Development and consisted of loans and grants. Mark Spradley, with G & S Engineering in Laurel was the engineer on the project. 

 Three years ago, the system also went through a meter change out program. Cynthia said, “We really got a lot of calls from our customers who were sure the new meters were wrong.” Wayne laughed and said, “Yeah, some of them were hard to convince, but we made it through it ok.”

 Wayne said, “I’d like to say how fortunate operators are in Mississippi to have our Rural Water Association. When we have problems, solutions are usually just a phone call away.”

 Another thing of pride for both Cynthia and Wayne is their recent annual inspection by the Department of Health. The system scored a five. Cynthia walked over to the filing cabinet and began to pull the inspection form out of its folder. While she was doing that Wayne said, “Cynthia is so organized, it’s unbelievable. When the inspector gets here, I show them the system and bring them back here. Cynthia has everything in place and under control.” 

 For the past year the water office has been located in Sandersville. However, the board has purchased an acre right in the center of the system with plans to build a new office building in the community itself.

Like most areas of the state, there have been many changes. In 1992, a Razorback who had crossed the river a few years earlier was building a house for the board president of the association. In January 1993, the board president contracted Wilson Richmond to take care of the system. Some seventeen years later, Wilson quietly says, “It was a good move for me. I really like what I’m doing. I told my grandson, who is graduating from Mississippi State, when you find a job, it won’t be because you filled out hundreds of applications. It will be because you were in the right place at the right time. That’s how I feel about me working here; I was in the right place at the right time.”

Wilson’s brother, son, and grandson have also worked with him to tackle the challenges of maintaining and/or expanding the system.

The Nesbit water system serves more than 1300 meters and has four wells. The system’s two elevated storage tanks provide 600,000 gallons of storage. Water usage runs from 300,000 to 500,000 gallons per day depending on the season.

Outside maintenance for the system is also provided by a father and son team of Ronnie and Keith Looney. Ronnie has worked for the system for eleven years and Keith just under two years. Ronnie is looking at retiring from the system before too long, and his son Keith will likely take his place. Keith said, “I’ve lived here all my life. Don’t know what else I’d want to do.”

The office manager is Pat Dunaway who has worked there for five years and the accounts receivable clerk is Pat’s granddaughter, Stephanie Jones. Stephanie has worked there for the past two years.

When asked about the value of Mississippi Rural Water to them, Wilson responded first. “We’ve had lots of help from them over the years. Bill Rutledge used to come by here when he worked for Rural Water. Tom Abernathy has been a great help to us as well. He has really helped with some of the reports that we are required to fill out. One of the great changes in running a rural water system is the increased amount of paperwork we have to keep up with.”

Wilson continued, “Right after Tom started working for Rural Water he stopped by to help me find a leak just south of Hernando. Although the leak was responsible for a 48% water loss, it wasn’t easy to find. Tom stayed after it until we located it. I’ll never forget the help.”

Pat Dunaway said, “They don’t just help out. They become part of our extended families. When you need help, you always call your friends and that’s the way we feel about Tom and Mississippi Rural Water.”

When Wilson Richmond started working in 1993, there were about 500 meters, so the system has expanded several times during that span. They are waiting on the weather and a couple of easements to complete an 8,000 foot project designed to loop the system. On all the expansion projects, Pat Dunaway prepares the easements which saves the system money, but also speeds up the process.

Another project that is slated to start in the spring is the widening of Highway 51. The widening of the highway will require the relocation of Nesbit’s water lines. During the relocation, water lines will also be upgraded, in some cases from a 4 inch line to a 12 inch line.

“Oh yeah,” Wilson said, “Nesbit is going to get a trailer mounted generator. Tom and the folks at Mississippi Rural Water have been a tremendous help with that too.”

“We are proud that many folks brag on our water. We have really good people in our community. And by taking care of our board, they support what we do. Why wouldn’t anybody be happy to work at a place like this?”

Why indeed!