Clement appointed to regional water board
Russellville Water and Sewer Board Manager Doug Clement was recently appointed to the Alabama Rural Water Association’s Board of Directors for District 1.
Clement will be serving out the remaining 16 months of a term vacated by James Haygood from Rogersville. Clement will represent District 1, which covers 47 public water utilities in Franklin, Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone and Marion counties.
ARWA is a non-profit organization that represents water and wastewater systems throughout the state of Alabama. The association provides assistance to these systems by helping them comply with state and federal water regulations, helping with management and operational problems, and providing training initiatives to promote efficiency within these water systems.
The organization is governed by a board of 10 directors who are elected from the membership of the association and Clement is proud to have been chosen to serve in this position.
“I feel very lucky to have been appointed to fill this vacancy on the Board of Directors,” Clement said. “I was very shocked when they contacted me because you just never know that people are considering you for a position like this.
“After 32 years of working in this field, it’s just nice to be recognized and I’m looking forward to representing the water systems in my district.”
Clement said that the association is instrumental in helping water systems across the state receive the representation they need at state and federal levels.
According to the website for ARWA, the association is a member of the National Rural Water Association, which maintains legal counsel in Washington D.C. to help represent local utility interests with the U.S. Congress and the White House.
“This is a good organization that is really community-oriented,” Clement said. “They really try to make sure that these local systems are represented and they provide so many ways to get questions answered.”
Clement said that when his 16-month appointment is completed, he plans to run for the position so that he can be elected by the membership and continue to serve this area.
“Over the years, I have seen the business of water and sewer become very professional,” he said. “There have to be organizations in place to keep systems regulated and to help systems provide the best services they can to their communities.
“I’m looking forward to my service on this board and to helping the water systems in my district with anything that I can.”
