Municipal Water Plant Superintendent Award | Bookkeeper of the Year | City Administrator of the Year | Manager of the Year | Conger Award | Municipal Wastewater Operator of the Year | Operator of the Year | City Clerk of the Year | Friend of Rural Water | Most Improved System | Silver Faucet Award

Left to Right: Manager/ Operator Harold Keller and Board Chair David Kerl

USDA Rural Development presents 2006 Silver Faucet Award to Brown County RWD 2

For the 32nd consecutive year, the Kansas USDA Rural Development Office has awarded their annual Silver Faucet Award. Brown County RWD 2 is the 2006 Award Winner with Manager/Operator Harold Keller and Board Chair David Kerl accepting the award at the KRWA Conference Awards Ceremony Wednesday evening.

USDA Rural Development presents the annual Silver Faucet Award to a water supply system in Kansas that exemplifies the qualities of cooperation, dedication and leadership in providing both high quality and quantity water service to rural water users.

During the 80s and early 90s, wells in Brown and parts of eastern Nemaha counties were going bad, either drying up or yielding poor quality water. Droughts during the time helped spur the formation of a steering committee and the incorporation of the rural water district. “RWD volunteers teamed up with their fellow citizens, and other community leaders to decide on a course of action that would allow for a progressive and orderly construction of that community’s dream to develop and grow their water system,” USDA Chief of Community and Business Programs Gary Smith explained.

Since 1991, two phases of RWD 2 construction has utilized USDA rural Development loan and grant funding of nearly $4.3 million to construct what has now grown to 325 miles of pipeline, two booster pump stations, a 300,000 gallon storage tank, and a standpipe. The RWD has 421 meters and serves a population of roughly 4,500 people including the three small communities of Powhattan, Robinson and Leona. Phase one was completed in September of 1994 and phase two in February of 1995.

“Over the years they have worked diligently to ensure that the system is adequately maintained and have kept their annual loss of water to less than 10 percent. The District has been able to maintain the system, keep reasonable user rates, and keep an excellent operational and managerial staff,” remarked USDA State Director Chuck Banks.