About Us

The Evergreen Rural Water of Washington Association (ERWoW), formed in 1994, is a non-profit organization that is governed by a membership-elected board of directors. ERWoW’s office is located in the town of Shelton, WA with the field staff based all across the state, from Olympia to Omak. ERWoW is a state affiliate of the National Rural Water Association, which was formed in 1976 and is headquartered in Duncan, Oklahoma.

Our vision: “To be the recognized leader in assisting essential Drinking Water & Wastewater Professionals to enhance the quality of life in Washington State.”

Our mission: “To provide the best professional training, technical assistance, and advocacy for Washington State Drinking Water & Wastewater Utilities.”

Following our mission ERWoW provides training and technical assistance to water and wastewater systems throughout the state. The staff works directly with systems to solve operational, regulatory, administrative and financial challenges faced by water systems. Evergreen Rural Water works independently of state agencies; however we do work closely with Department of Health, Department of Ecology, USDA Rural Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, local health districts and other agencies that provide help in solving rural water problems.

Funding for ERWoW’s field technicians comes from US EPA, and USDA Rural Development in the form of grants and contracts. These funds enable Evergreen Rural Water to place professionals in the fields of water and wastewater systems operation and maintenance, and source water protection to provide free-of-charge, on-site training and technical assistance to rural communities in Washington.