ARISE Project
Funded by a $537,201 award under the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE Initiative, this multi‐state effort addresses the urgent shortage of water utility operators in Kentucky and West Virginia—ensuring safe, reliable services and driving economic growth in distressed communities.
About the Program
The ARISE Program unites public agencies, academic institutions, water utility experts, and local communities in Kentucky and West Virginia to address the urgent need for qualified water utility operators. More than 30% of Kentucky’s and 40% of West Virginia’s operators plan to retire within the next six years, leaving many communities at risk. With the support of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE Initiative, we are developing a comprehensive plan—complete with training resources, mentorship, and a dedicated advisory board—to ensure that new generations of operators are ready to step in. By investing in the people and the infrastructure, we aim to foster economic growth and protect public health across Appalachia.
We want your insights! If you’re a water owner or a manager, your feedback will guide how we train and recruit the next generation of water utility professionals. Together, we can tackle the operator shortage and secure reliable water services in Appalachia.
Water Workforce Shortage
As water utility operators in Kentucky and West Virginia approach retirement in record numbers, local communities face a critical shortage of qualified personnel. Explore the stats below to see why investing in the next generation of water utility operators is more urgent than ever.
Project Overview
The ARISE Program brings together agencies, utilities, and educational partners to develop a long‐term workforce strategy across 54 Kentucky and 53 West Virginia counties, many of which are distressed.
In our 12‐month planning phase we will:
-
Assemble one multisectoral advisory board of KY and WV industry stakeholders to guide the project.
-
Conduct regional focus workshops in Appalachia, Kentucky, and West Virginia to obtain feedback from historically underserved populations, regional leadership, water managers, and water operators on their current and future water, workforce, and economic needs.
-
Conduct an online survey of water utility managers and leaders to gather data on their workforce, economic development, and strategic planning for current and future needs.
-
Research to compile a list of existing resources to cultivate transformational change and economic development.
By the end of this project, we will produce a comprehensive Implementation Plan for a Water Infrastructure Workforce Development and Training Center, ensuring safe drinking water and wastewater services throughout Appalachia
The project team/partners are:
-
UK: Donna McNeil (PI), Sahar Alameh, Steven Buck
-
West Virginia University (Emily Gardner, Katherine Garvey, and Samuel Workman)
-
Kentucky Rural Water Association (Heather Stevenson)
-
West Virginia Rural Water Association (Todd Grinstead)
Funding for this project is made via the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) ARISE Initiative to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multi-state collaborative projects across Appalachia.
ARISE Funding Breakdown
Kentucky Project Area
Within the Project area (54 Kentucky Counties), there are 36 distressed: Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, McCreary, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Metcalfe, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, 15 At-Risk: Adair, Boyd, Cumberland, Edmonson, Fleming, Green, Greenup, Hart, Laurel, Lincoln, Monroe, Montgomery, Nicholas, Pulaski, Robertson, and 3 Transitional: Clark, Garrad, Madison.
The five focus workgroup locations were selected from the ten most Distressed counties: Harlan, Elliott, Leslie, Breathitt, Magoffin, Letcher, Martin, Clay, McCreary, Owsley, and Lee. The selected counties are starred on the map below.
West Virginia Project Area
Within the Project area (53 West Virginia Counties), there are 18 distressed: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Fayette, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Nicholas, Roane, Summers, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wyoming, 12 At-Risk: Cabell, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Hardy, Jackson, Lewis, Mason, Mercer, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Randolph, Wayne, and 22 Transitional: Berkeley, Doddridge, Grant, Hampshire, Harrison, Kanawha, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Preston, Putnam, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Wood, and 1 Competitive: Jefferson.
The five focus workgroup locations were selected from the ten most Distressed counties: McDowell, Mingo, Calhoun, Wyoming, Webster, Clay, Logan, Roane, Lincoln, and Wirt. The selected counties are starred on the map below.
Advisory Board
The multisectoral advisory board of KY and WV industry stakeholders to guide the project were industry representatives recruited from:
-
Water regulatory agencies
-
State and local workforce development agencies or boards
-
State and local economic development agencies
-
State departments of education
-
Technical assistance providers include the American Water Works Association, the Water Environment Federation, and the Rural Community Assistance Program.
-
Researchers and educators with expertise related directly to the water workforce and economic development fields.