What is IRWA?
International Rural Water Association (IRWA) is a 501c3 corporation founded in 1988 by the U.S. organization National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to bring the highly successful Circuit Rider program to developing nations.
IRWA believes that the water crisis in developing nations will not be solved by technology alone; that there is a need for education and technical assistance that will allow community members to maintain their own systems in mint condition.
The water will only keep flowing if we invest in educating and training communities to fix their own water systems and monitor their water supply. In order to do this IRWA Circuit Riders work directly with water system operators showing them how to operate, maintain and monitor their systems.
IRWA believes that building a community’s capacity to provide adequate sanitation is also vital to ensuring access to clean water. Poor sanitation leads to a proliferation of raw sewage in public areas and causes the spread of waterborne diseases. For IRWA Circuit Riders, connecting communities with the tools and knowledge they need to install and maintain appropriate, sustainable technologies such as latrines and septic tanks is critical to keep the water flowing.
IRWA creates a pipeline of knowledge from the experience and education of water professionals and Circuit Riders in the U.S. We harnesses volunteer technical know-how from water professionals, universities and engineers in the states to help train individuals and communities abroad. IRWA Circuit Riders have the skills to fix, maintain and install clean water systems; but more than that, Circuit Riders educate and empower local communities to raise their knowledge level, their understanding about water and hygiene, and their technical abilities. The IRWA model ensures that the water doesn’t just start flowing; it keeps flowing.
Circuit Riders also provide technical assistance to Peace Corps volunteers and volunteers and staff from other water-related NGOs.
Mission
To improve the quality of water for residents of developing nations through the establishment of partnerships with organizations to provide resources for implementation of training, technical assistance and sustainable technology applicable to the needs of developing nations.
