I hope everyone is staying cool and enjoying their summer. It seems like only yesterday that we were at our June conference, which was a roaring success. Our members, presenters, and vendors were all very happy. A big thank you to our staff for working to pull this off.

As you may know, we voted to change our name to the Connecticut Rural Water and Wastewater Association at the conference this year. This means we will be one State Association, only representing Connecticut. While we are still in the process of officially changing, soon we will be introducing a new logo, website, and all communication will change to CTRWWA. I want to assure you that while our name may be changing, our mission is not. We still are here to serve all our members and all the public and private utilities who help provide safe drinking water and treat wastewater in our beloved state. Our mission is to provide training and technical expertise to the Nutmeg State.

In addition to changing our name, I am pleased to announce we have hired T.J. Clarke II to be the next Executive Director of our association. We are very excited about the experience he brings to the table. Our current Executive Director- Don Carver, will be staying on throughout the transition to show our new ED all the ropes. We thank Don for his efforts to move our Association forward and help provide much needed services to our members. On another note, is Jiger Patel, will be working as our Circuit Rider for the immediate future, as Bob Horn has taken a different job outside of the association. Included in this newsletter is information about the open position and I encourage you to share with everyone so we can get the position filled soon.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us as we would love to help. I hope to see each and everyone of you at WaterPro Conference in September!

– Marty Cormier, Board President

TJ Clarke II brings a comprehensive skill set to Connecticut Rural Water and Wastewater Association with a background in public health, legislative and public policy, non-profit leadership, administration, and government experience. He is a huge advocate who is believes in the power of building strong communities by creating access to equitable resources that improves the quality of life for all and seeks to builds meaningful and strategic partnerships with the community and various stakeholders to accomplish tangible outcomes.

Previously, TJ held positions such as Director of Legislative and Community Engagement, Director of Marketing and Government Affairs and Public Information Officer for Charter Oak Health Center, a nationally recognized and accredited Federally Qualified Health Center in Connecticut and Special Initiatives Coordinator for U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

TJ is also an experienced with strategic project planning, fundraising, organizational management, and government operations. He holds an MBA with a concentration in International Business and an undergraduate degree in Technical Management with a concentration in Project Management. Levering both his professional and academic credentials, TJ has been successful in collaborating with leaders at the local, state, and federal level to help transform communities across Connecticut.

In 2016, TJ was awarded with Hartford Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 awarded in honor of their 20th Anniversary. He believes in giving back and is involved in his local community by serving as a member of the Hartford City Council, Hartford School Building Committee, Upper Albany Main Street, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and Citadel of Love Board of Directors.

By Don Carver, Executive Director

The CT Rural Water and Waste Water Association Staff have been very busy during the summer months helping out systems throughout the State of Connecticut.  

Wastewater Technician Diane Johnson continues to help systems manage and troubleshoot any issues that may arise, be it out in the field or remotely, Diane is always willing to help out in any way she can. Please reach out to Diane (djohnson@asrwwa.org)  with any question or concerns regarding your waste water system.

Source Water Protection Specialist Matt Allen works with various towns and systems who are seeking solutions to Source Water Protection and land use issues. He is currently working with the towns of Easton, Bethany and Windham. Please reach out to Matt (mallen@asrwwa.org) with any questions or concerns regarding Source Water Protection.

Training and Technical Specialist Mike Hage is wrapping up the season after providing a number of valuable on-line training sessions as well as providing technical support out in the field. Please reach out to Mike with any training or technical support you may need.

The purpose of the Circuit Rider Program is to protect the nation’s multi-billion-dollar investment in rural and small municipal water systems by providing on-site technical assistance that assures cost- effective operations and adequate income for both operations and debt service within each State. This position provides technical, managerial, and financial assistance to water utility personnel regarding daily operations of a drinking water distribution system and/or water treatment facility. Circuit Riders provide rural and small municipal water systems on-site technical training/assistance to ensure cost effective operations and sustainable utility management within Atlantic States (CT&RI) and the other geographical jurisdictions.

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the State of Connecticut is making a $580 million investment in construction-ready municipal water pollution control projects that will protect the state’s waters from sewage pollution and help improve water quality.

Click here to learn more.

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