ATTENDING THE RALLY
FROM SOUTH DAKOTA?
Click the button below to share your contact information with SDARWS so we can keep you in the loop regarding schedule updates.

SDARWS RALLY ATTENDEE CONTACT FORM

February 3-5, 2025
Washington, D.C.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THE RALLY

SDARWS is in the process of setting up meetings. The schedule below will be updated as meetings are confirmed.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Note that all times are Eastern Standard Time
*denotes meeting/event is confirmed
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

• 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM: *Registration Open (Hyatt)
• 9:30 AM: *SDARWS Executive Committee Meeting With Staffers (Hart 716) (this meeting is for SDARWS Executive Committee Members and SDARWS Staff only.)
• 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM: *NRWA Welcome Social (Hyatt)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

• 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM: *Registration Open (Hyatt)
• 8:00 AM: *Opening Session (Hyatt)
• 10:15 AM: *SDARWS Gameplan Meeting (Hyatt)
• 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Reserved time for Meetings on the Hill
• 6:00 PM: *SDARWS Group Dinner (The Monocle - 107 D Street NE)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

• 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Reserved time for Meetings on the Hill
• 11:00 AM - 11:30 PM: *Bureau of Reclamation (1849 C Street NW)
• 12:00 PM: *Great American Water Taste Test & Lunch (Hyatt)
• 2:45 PM - 5:00 PM: Reserved time for Meetings on the Hill (Time/Locations TBA)
• 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: *NRWA Social (Hyatt)

Please note that this is a tentative agenda and is subject to change.

WHAT IS THE RALLY?​
The National Rural Water Rally is a grassroots lobbying effort that brings together hundreds of rural water supporters from around the United States and puts them in direct contact with the people who make things happen in DC. This event allows us to gain valuable insight into national issues affecting South Dakota and meet with the many rural water decision-makers and supporters from around the nation. This grassroots movement has always been the hallmark of our efforts and the benchmark of our success.

RALLY REGISTRATION INFO

Registration for 2025 Rural Water RallyRegistration for this event is now open. There are three types of registration:

• Full Registration Member (Early Bird: $369; Regular Pricing $394)
• Full Registration Non-Member (Early Bird: $399; Regular Pricing: $424)
• Full Registration plus NRWA Supporting Membership (Early Bird: $418; Regular Pricing: $448)
• Great American Water Taste Test Luncheon Only ($50)

The Early Bird Registration Deadline is January 20, 2025. After this date, prices increase.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE RALLY

HOTEL & ROOM BLOCK INFORMATION

The sleeping room block for the Rural Water Rally is open until January 2, 2025.
HOST HOTEL: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001 
Rates: $351.00/night single/dbl   
Non-refundable deposit of one night’s room plus tax to be taken for each room held. 

Book using the link below or by calling reservations at 1-800-233-1234 and using Group Code: G-NRW5
If you have any questions, please contact Becca Murray at [email protected] or 580-252-0629.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM ONLINE

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ALTERNATE HOTELS
Please note that there are no room blocks set up at the following hotels. However, you are welcome to book a room at any of these locations.

 YOTEL - 415 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001 
(Located across the street from the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill)

YOTEL RESERVATIONS

THE ROYAL SONESTA - 20 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20001
​(10 minute walk from Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill)

ROYAL SONESTA RESERVATIONS

NRWA & SDARWS PRIORITY INITIATIVES (2025)

USDA Circuit Riders
Since 1980, Circuit Riders have provided primary assistance to small communities for the operation of safe and clean drinking water supplies and compliance with water regulations. This assistance protects the sizable investment the federal government has made in rural water infrastructure. Circuit Riders are in the field every day helping systems with compliance, operations, maintenance, management, disaster response, and training. The Circuit Rider program has long been one of USDA’s most successful public-private partnerships, efficiently and effectively using appropriated funds to provide technical assistance and training to rural communities through state-based nonprofit associations.

USDA Farm Service Agency Grassroots Source Water Protection
This is the only statewide local community-based initiative ensuring environmentally progressive local land-use decisions without the controversy and bureaucracy of regulatory programs. It provides each state with at least one full-time person to organize and assist rural communities, farmers, and other land-use interests in the implementation of source water protection plans including non-point source (runoff) protection practices in agriculture regions. This initiative allows the people who benefit from environmental protection to take responsibility for achieving it – ensuring its success and eliminating local controversy.

EPA Safe Drinking Water Act Technical Assistance and Training
Since 1977, Small and rural communities have relied on local/on-site technical assistance and training for compliance with the myriad of federal EPA regulations, avoiding EPA fines, and operating drinking water and wastewater supplies. According to small and rural communities, EPA-funded local initiatives are the most effective environmental protection efforts for drinking water & wastewater, groundwater, source water, and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Small communities want to ensure quality water and stay in compliance  – rural water provides them the shared technical resources to do it.

EPA Clean Water Act Compliance Technical Assistance
Small and rural communities have more difficulty affording public wastewater services due to a lack of population density and lack of economies of scale. This challenge is compounded by the fact that rural communities have lower average median household incomes and often have higher rates of poverty. PL 155-270, enacted in October 2018, authorizes a new technical assistance program for small and rural communities to improve water quality, operate and maintain public wastewater treatment utilities and comply with federal Clean Water Act standards.
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National Rural Water Apprenticeship Program
Since 2016, NRWA has collaborated with State Rural Water Associations, USDA, DOL, EPA, and local rural water utilities to build the first nationally recognized DOL Registered Apprenticeship program for water and wastewater system operators. Employment data indicates up to 50% of the rural water workforce will leave the water industry over the next 10 years. Rural water and wastewater utilities need a pipeline of skilled workers to help ensure clean and safe water for the public and to maintain the water infrastructure necessary to keep rural service areas economically viable. To date, thirty-four State Rural Water Associations have federally approved Registered Apprenticeship programs and are currently offering a job creation program specifically designed by industry leaders to attract, train, and retain the next generation rural water workforce.