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    Our mission

    Quality training and technical assistance for Montana's water systems

    For drinking water, wastewater and tribal systems, so they can produce the best product with the resources they have.

    Become a memberMeet our staff

    What is MRWS?

    Montana Rural Water Systems, Inc. is an association of water and wastewater systems within the State of Montana.

    We are not connected with the State agencies. We do, however, work with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, local health districts, USDA Rural Development, EPA, and any other agency that can provide help to our small member systems.

    We are not controllers of your system! We want to help you control it.

    What we do

    From Westby to Wisdom, and from Eureka to Ekalaka

    We travel the whole state providing the best possible training and assistance to water and wastewater utilities.

    • Technical Assistance
    • Classroom Training
    • Rate Structuring
    • Regulatory Updates
    • VA/ERP Vulnerability Assessments
    • Emergency Response Plans

    400+ member utilities, grown from five water systems in 1979

    Our history

    47 years of friends helping friends

    1. 1976

      The National Rural Water Association is founded

      With its headquarters in Duncan, Oklahoma.

    2. 1979

      Five water systems found MRWS

      Tiber County, Hill County, South Chester, Oilmont and Lockwood. Ray Wadsworth is hired as the first Program Manager, later the Executive Director.

    3. Oct 1979

      MRWS joins NRWA

      Ray and Donna Wadsworth travel the state together getting utilities to join. Sometimes it takes three or four visits.

    4. ~1996

      Donna Wadsworth takes the lead

      Ray retires, and Donna Wadsworth leads MRWS until her retirement in October 2018.

    5. Today

      Over 400 member utilities

      From the five original systems, MRWS has grown to over 400 member utilities, led by Executive Director Ben Rigby.

    MRWS history Play video (YouTube)
    A short history of Montana Rural Water Systems (video on YouTube).

    The five founding systems

    • Tiber County Water District Dan Keil
    • Hill County Water District Dave Jones
    • South Chester John England
    • Oilmont Water District Robert Tomsheck
    • Lockwood Water District Keith Hill

    Who we work with

    Independent, and part of a national network

    MRWS is an association of its members, not a state agency. We work alongside the agencies that help small systems, and we belong to the National Rural Water Association.

    National Rural Water Association

    NRWA was founded in 1976, with its headquarters in Duncan, Oklahoma. MT Rural Water became a member in October of 1979.

    NRWA news nrwa.org (opens in a new tab)

    We work with

    • Montana Department of Environmental Quality
    • Local health districts
    • USDA Rural Development
    • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    and any other agency that can provide help to our small member systems.

    The people

    The faces at your plant and in class

    Circuit riders, wastewater technicians, source water specialists, trainers and the office in Great Falls.

    Meet all 17 staff

    Guided by a board of eight members

    Elected by the member systems, three seats each year. President: Lytle E. “Bud” Gillin.

    Meet the board

    Friends helping friends

    Call on us for assistance

    Training, a site visit, a rate study or an emergency response plan: call the office and we will point you to the right person.

    Call (406) 454-1151 Become a member