1. Public Water System Assistance Programs Keeping Rural Water Systems Afloat Paige S. Manning Extension Associate Community Resource Development (662) 325-3144 paigem@ext.msstate.edu http://msucares.com/water

2. Community Water Systems Source: EPA 2004

3. Public Water System Assistance Programs +Public Water System Board Management Training Program +Peer Review Program

4. Public Water System Board Management Training Program

5. Section 41-26-101, Mississippi Code of 1972 Each member elected or reelected after June 30, 1998, to serve on a governing board of any community public water system, except systems operated by municipalities with a population greater than two thousand five hundred (2,500) shall attend a minimum of eight (8) hours of management training within two (2) years following the election of that board member. If a board member has undergone training and is reelected to the board, that board member shall not be required to attend training as provided by this subsection.

6. Partnering Organizations

7. Board Training Curriculum +Laws and Regulations +Duties and Responsibilities +Ethics +Operation and Maintenance +Management and Finance +Rate Setting +Public Relations and Customer Service

8. Community Resource Group Mississippi Rural Water Association Mississippi Water & Pollution Control Operators’ Association Cox Consulting Group Mississippi State University Extension Service Training Session Locations

9. Results +Over 200 training sessions have been held. +Over 4,100 board members have been trained.

10. Peer Review Program

11. Technical Capacity + Source water adequacy + Infrastructure adequacy + Technical knowledge and ability to implement it Water System Capacity Managerial Capacity + Ownership accountability + Staffing and organization + Effective external linkages Financial Capacity + Revenue sufficiency + Credit worthiness + Fiscal management and controls

12. Peer Review Program +Designed to strengthen the operations of Mississippi’s water systems and increase Capacity Ratings. +Designed to assist: –Operators –Bookkeepers/Clerks/Secretaries –Board Members +A Peer Review is an evaluation of the water system conducted by other operators.

13. 12 3 4 5 6 8 7 9 Peer Review Regions

14. +Technical +Managerial +Financial Peer Review

15. +Technical +Managerial +Financial Peer Review

16. +Technical +Managerial +Financial Peer Review

17. Peer Review Results

18. Current Developments and Studies +“Managing Difficult Customers” Video. +Improving Financial and Managerial Capacity of Water Systems Study. +WIN Program.

19. Questions ?