International Rural Water Association (IRWA), a 501c3 corporation registered in Oklahoma, was established in 1988 with a mission to establish National Rural Water Association (NRWA) type circuit rider technical assistance programs in developing countries, build sustainable water treatment systems and improve health through safe water. Worldwide more than 1 billion people lack access to safe water and nearly three billion suffer from inadequate sanitation. Despite the developments of the 20 th century and the promises of the 21 st century, water-borne diseases are killing more than 6,000 people per day - mostly children. The answer to this problem doesn’t lie with technology. It lies with technical assistance, building the knowledge base in developing countries that will allow for sustainable water utility systems, and building sustainable water treatment systems that meet the needs and level of understanding of the population served. The answer for the over 1 billion people lacking access to safe water is contained in the IRWA mission statement:

“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.

Country Support

IRWA provides direct assistance in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic while providing technical assistance through one of our partner organizations in Haiti. To learn more about the programs and projects in these countries please see our projects and programs in focus sections.

IRWA is unique among organizations in terms of the technical assistance we can provide. As a sister organization of NRWA, we can pull from a talent pool of several hundred circuit riders working with water and wastewater systems in all 50 states in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. For over 30 years NRWA technical assistance providers have been helping communities build capacity, manage their systems and deliver safe clean water. IRWA uses the same approach in developing countries by training in-country technical assistance staff in all facets of water treatment, water borne disease, disinfection, capacity development, sustainable management and maintenance. We tailor our programs to the capabilities and available technology in the developing country rather than trying to force developed country technologies onto the populace.