NGWA is a community of groundwater professionals working together to advance groundwater knowledge and the success of our members through education and outreach; advocacy; cooperation and information exchange; and enhancement of professional practices.
Our vision
NGWA's vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating the responsible development, management, and use of water.
Our goals
- NGWA and its members will use its outstanding scientific and technical leadership, knowledge, and resources to pursue innovation, model best practices, and improve the business climate for the groundwater industry.
- NGWA will be a credible, valued resource on significant and timely issues that impact the groundwater industry and public access to safe, sustainable groundwater.
- Our community will grow and benefit from the participation of all groundwater professionals.
Through NGWA’s efforts, the public will be confident there is a sustainable groundwater resource for domestic, municipal, industrial, ecological, and agricultural uses.
Our values
- We believe the whole of NGWA is greater than the sum of its parts.
- We share a commitment to the informed, responsible, and sustainable use of groundwater.
- We are a community of professionals who value diverse perspectives, and sharing and learning from experience and research.
- We are responsive to our members’ needs and interests.
Membership in NGWA
NGWA has four​ membership divisions — contractors, scientists and engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers; others with an interest in groundwater, but who are not employed in one of these four categories, may join as an associate.
Board of directors
- National board has 19 voting members
- Each membership division has an oversight board
- Delegates from the general membership elect some directors and modify the NGWA Code of Regulations
Affiliated organizations
- Affiliated organizations — 44
- NGWA maintains State Center for Groundwater Policy
- NGWA maintains Resource Center for Association Management for state association leaders
- NGWA conducts an annual Affiliate Organizations Peer-to-Peer Meeting during Groundwater Week
Domestic memorandums of understanding
- Association of American State Geologists
- Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society
- Geothermal Energy Organization
- International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
- Irrigation Association
- National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association
- New England Geothermal Professional Association Inc.
- One Water Management​
International memorandums of understanding
- Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners & Practitioners (AWDROP) of Nigeria
- Australian Drilling Industry Association
- Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria
- Borehole Water Association of Southern Africa
- Brazilian Ground Water Association (Associacao Brasileira de Aguas Subterraneas)
- China Engineering Center Partnership for Contaminated Site Remediation
- Colombian Association of Hydrogeologists​ (Asociación Colombiana de Hidrogeólogos)​
- European Ground Source Heat Pump Association
- Finnish Well Drillers Association (Finland)
- Geological Society of London
- Groundwater Association of Botswana
- Industrial Society of Well Drilling in Taiwan Area
- International Association of Hydrogeologists​
- International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre
- Japanese Association of Groundwater Hydrology​
- Korea Ground Water Association
- Mexican Hydrogeology Association (Asociacion Geohidrologica Mexicana)​
- ​​National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training
- ​​​National Hydrogeology and Water Well Association of Italy (Associazione Nationale Idrogeologia Pozzi Acqua)
- New Zealand Drillers Federation
- Taiwan Association of Soil and Groundwater Environmental Protection
- Venezuelan Association of the Ground Water Industry (Asociacion Venezolana de la Industria de las Aguas Subterraneas)
Memberships
NGWA is a member, or an associate member, of:
- Advisory Committee on Water Information
- American Geosciences Institute
- American National Standards Institute
- Coalition for National Science Funding
- Geological Society of America
- Global Water Partnership
- Groundwater Foundation
- Groundwater Management Districts Association​
- International Union of Geological Sciences
- Source Water Collaborative
- U.S. Water Alliance
- U.S. Water Partnership
- WaterSense (U.S. EPA program)
- Water Systems Council.
In the past several years, NGWA has cooperated with more than 200 organizations worldwide.
Foundation
The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation [501(c)(3)] (established 1994):
- Conducts annual Henry Darcy Distinguished Lecture Series in Groundwater Science at universities and colleges around the world (since 1986)
- Conducts annual William A. McEllhiney Distinguished Lecture Series in Water Well Technology (since 2000)
- Maintains the Virtual Museum of Groundwater History (since 2002)
- Awards undergraduate scholarships (since 1975)
- Awards research grants (since 2006)
- Awards humanitarian assistance grants for potable groundwater supply in developing nations (since 2005)
- Funded the public informational study, "Trends in the U.S. Marketplace for Individually Owned Private Wells."​
Member