Kentucky Ground Water Association News

2026 NGWA Fly-In leads to 60-plus meetings with federal offices, staff, and agencies

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:43:28 GMT

Nearly 40 NGWA members participated in more than 60 meetings with Congressional offices, Senate staff, and key federal agencies March 24–25 at the 2026 NGWA Fly-In held in Washington, D.C.

Representing a broad cross-section of groundwater professionals, members traveled from across the United States — including as far as Alaska — as well as internationally, with participation from Nigeria.

A two-day event focused on advancing the organization’s federal policy priorities, the 60-plus conversations provided a platform for members to share real-world insights from the field, while reinforcing the important role groundwater plays in supporting communities, agriculture, energy production, and economic growth nationwide.

A central focus of this year’s Fly-In was advocating for the reinstatement of geothermal tax credits, which are essential to advancing clean energy development and supporting jobs across the groundwater and geothermal sectors. Members also emphasized the need for increased federal investment in the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Ground-Water Monitoring Network, a resource for tracking water availability and quality.

Fly-In participants also highlighted NGWA’s newly released Data Center Position Paper, raising awareness around the increasing water demands tied to rapid data center expansion and the importance of responsible groundwater management.

During the event, NGWA members presented the 2025 Groundwater Protector Award to U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado). This recognition is awarded to government officials who have demonstrated strong leadership and a sustained commitment to advancing groundwater protection and policy. Hickenlooper was recognized for his ongoing support of water infrastructure, science-based policy, and efforts that elevate the importance of groundwater at the federal level.

“This year really demonstrated the strength and expertise of our membership and their commitment to giving NGWA a voice in D.C.,” said Ben Frech, NGWA’s government affairs manager.

“From geothermal energy to water monitoring and recharge, our members are on the front lines of the nation’s most pressing water challenges. These conversations help ensure that policymakers understand both the urgency of these issues and the practical solutions our industry is ready to deliver.”

Groundwater Week Coming To New Orleans in December!

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:43:20 GMT

NGWA’s Groundwater Week 2025 is heading to New Orleans, Louisiana, and its attendees will have double the opportunity to impact their professional careers. The groundwater industry’s flagship event once again co-locates with the Irrigation Association’s Irrigation Show, giving attendees access to two expansive exhibit halls and even more opportunities to connect with peers, explore new technologies, and learn from industry leaders, all under one roof in the heart of The Big Easy.

Taking place December 9–11, 2025, Groundwater Week will bring together professionals from around the word- contractors, scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers, for three days of hands-on learning, networking, and celebration.

“Groundwater Week is something the entire industry looks forward to every year,” said NGWA CEO Terry S. Morse, CAE, CIC. “But this year, partnering with the Irrigation Association and bringing the show to New Orleans, we expect it to be one of our biggest and most exciting shows yet.”

Highlights for 2025 include:

Two full exhibit halls—one for groundwater and one for irrigation—with crossover access for attendees
A full schedule of educational sessions and workshops, offering CEU credit
An exclusive welcome party with New Orleans flair
Special tours and local excursions, including a private behind-the-scenes look at Mardi Gras World
Two pre-show education sessions on December 8 so attendees can maximize their learning opportunities
More chances to meet, collaborate, and problem-solve with peers across the industry

For more information on Groundwater Week 2025 or to arrange an interview please contact NGWA Public Affairs Manager Ben Frech at bfrech@ngwa.org.

Groundwater Awareness Week (GWAW) is taking place March 10-16, 2024!

David Evener — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:13:03 GMT

As a NGWA Affiliate Organization member, we are proud to partner with NGWA to share with you that Groundwater Awareness Week (GWAW) is taking place March 10-16, 2024!

This annual event highlights the responsible development, management, and use of groundwater, the event is also a platform to encourage yearly water well testing and well maintenance, and the promotion of policies impacting groundwater quality and supply. Groundwater advocates across the state and country also use GWAW to highlight local water issues in their communities.

NGWA and its partners will be focusing their advocacy on promoting professional opportunities in the groundwater industry. According to the American Geosciences Institute, nationally there are more than 135,000 open positions in the industry now, which is far too high to keep up with consumer demand.

To learn more about Groundwater Awareness Week and how you can participate and/or promote the event, please visit: https://www.ngwa.org/get-involved/groundwater-awareness-week/groundwater-awareness-week

Location and Dates Announced for 2023 Trade Show

(Past member) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 20:43:56 GMT

The Kentucky Groundwater Association (KYGWA) is pleased to announce that Louisville, Kentucky, has once again been chosen as the site for the 2023 KYGWA Trade Show. The show will be held at the Holiday Inn — Louisville East Hurstbourne, 1325 South Hurstbourne Parkway, Louisville on March 9 and 10, 2023. Registration details, rate and lodging information, and sponsorship opportunities will be released soon.

A full slate of continuing education opportunities is anticipated including up to eight hours of training toward Kentucky licensure requirements. As always, our great vendors will be set up and ready with product information, industry news, and innovative new products. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to network with other drillers, regulators, and industry experts. Finally, our annual charity auction benefiting the Susie and Dorris Givens Memorial Scholarship Fund will be held on Thursday evening. Be prepared to bid on lots of great items, have plenty of fun, and help our scholarship fund, all while honoring the memory of Susie and Dorris. In 2022, the Susie and Dorris Givens Memorial Scholarship gave a total of $5,500.00 to students, all of whom were connected in some way to the KYGWA.

As always, our official website (www.kygwa.org) and our official Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/KYGWA) are the best sources for up-to-date information on upcoming events, industry news, and KYGWA and NGWA activities.

The Directors and Officers of the KYGWA look forward to seeing you in Louisville on March 9 and 10, 2023!

Scholarships Awarded

(Past member) — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 20:35:59 GMT

In 2022, the KYGWA presented four scholarships to the following individuals: Jacob Scaringella, son of Mike Scaringella; Lidia Myers, daughter of Christopher Anthony; Madison High, daughter of Brad High; and Abbygail Stock, daughter of Richard Stock.

The KYGWA Susie and Dorris Givens Memorial Scholarship is funded by the many volunteers and members of the KYGWA and awards scholarships on an annual basis to eligible students enrolled, or enrolling, in college, vocational school, or another approved postsecondary educational institution. The scholarship may be utilized for tuition, books, lab fees, or other direct educational expenses. Each recipient may receive the scholarship up to two (2) times but must submit a new application each time.

Exciting News for the KYGWA!!!

David Evener — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:53:25 GMT

Good afternoon everyone! I wanted to share with you some exciting news from the Board of Directors regarding oversight of the KYGWA. At our October Board Meeting, we reached out to NGWA regarding their Partner States Program, and invited Dave Schulenberg (NGWA Director of Partner States) to speak to us.

As you know, the KYGWA Board is made up of volunteers and has always been that way. What we discovered is that help is needed in getting us moving forward at a faster clip than what 2021 allowed us to do. We have decided to work with NGWA and become one of their Partner States, and asked Dave to be our Executive Director.

So what does this mean for you the member? Other than a change of address and maybe a phone number, not much should change. Dave will be working with the Board and members at large to help us grow and grow our outreach to you all too.

We are excited to be part of the NGWA Partner States Program and look forward to the positive changes this will bring. I am sure that you all will be receiving an email from Dave in the near future, so please give him a kind welcome. We will stay in touch and share any and all changes relating to KYGWA as they may happen.

We are working with Dave and his staff to put together our 2022 event in Louisville, so please keep an eye out for forms soon.

Sincerely,
Todd Mills
KYGWA President.

SAVE THE DATE!!!

David Evener — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 13:38:23 GMT

We have scheduled the 2022 KYGWA Trade Show for February 24-25, 2022. Please save this date into your calendar and plan on attending. We will be sending more information out in the coming months so keep a watchful eye out for it. We can’t wait to get back into the classroom and have some quality CEU training hours available for you!

Stay safe out there everyone!

KY Water Well and Monitoring Well Driller Training

David Evener — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 14:50:50 GMT

Dear KY Certified Well Drillers:

If you have already completed your training and/or completed your certification renewal then you can disregard this message.

There have been several questions about getting training hours for driller certification renewal, so I’m sending the list of pre-approved online training opportunities again. All of the training on the attached document are approved by DOW.

***SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR THIS LIST***

If you have completed other training events, please contact me to see if we can approve those to meet your training requirements. Also, if you’ve found other training opportunities that you’d prefer to attend, please send me information about them for approval for your KY Driller Certification.

Any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me. The cell number below is the best way to reach me.

Regards,

Rob Blair, P.G.
Groundwater Section Supervisor
Emergency Response Team On-Scene Coordinator Watershed Management Branch KY Division of Water
Office: (502) 782-6893
Cell: (502) 545-7944

Kentucky Certified Drillers: The online training resources below have been reviewed for approval by the Kentucky Certified Well Drillers Program. Each of these virtual training opportunities included up to at least 5 hours of CEUs for certified drillers. Driller’s Assistants requiring 8 hours of CEUs may need to utilize training resources from more than one of these offerings. Please provide proof of attendance to Rob Blair, Groundwater Section Supervisor, upon course completion.

National Groundwater Association 2020 Summit

Groundwater Week 2020 / Groundwater Summit: App Home

International School of Well Drilling

Well Drilling School » Online Courses

All Star Training

Kentucky Water Well | Continuing Education (CEU) – All Star Training (allstarce.com)

Announcement: Kentucky Well Driller Certification Renewal

David Evener — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:52:17 GMT

To: Kentucky Certified Water Well and Monitoring Well Drillers

From: Kentucky Division of Water

Well Driller Certification Program

Date: May #, 2021

Re: 2021 – 2022 Certification Renewal

Well Driller Certification Program – Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

Dear KY Certified Well Drillers:

The certification renewal period for Kentucky Well Drillers begins on June 1, 2021. You are encouraged to renew your certification online via the Well Driller Certification Program webpage link above. This webpage also has instructions for recertifying online, which includes confirming that you have completed the required training hours and provided any other necessary documentation. Please note that you will not be able to recertify online if your insurance or training hours are not current.

Once you have completed your certification renewal you will receive your certificate and wallet card in a few weeks via email. Please contact Rob Blair at 502-782-6893 or email robert.blair@ky.gov if you have any questions.