September 27, 2010
For Immediate Release

NRWA opens 2010 WaterPro Conference

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The National Rural Water Association opening its 34th annual conference and first WaterPro Conference with an excited crowd and outstanding speakers during the opening session held Monday, Sept. 27 in New Orleans, La.                

Louisiana Lt. Governor Scott Angelle started the opening session with mix of Louisiana humor and enthusiasm.                

 “Let the Lt. Governor of Louisiana say today, that the Louisiana Rural Water Association is the greatest rural water association in the country, I don’t care what the other 48 state have to say,” Angelle said.                  

Louisiana rural water and rural water associations across the country gained tremendous respect in Louisiana because of the aid they provided after Hurricane Katrina. It was a tremendous effort that Angelle recognized during his speech.

“Lousiana appreciates all your contributions to help get this city and this state back up off the mat,” he said. “Not only did you help restore our infrastructure, you helped restore our soul.”                

Angelle showed a passion for natural resource management and energy conservation that rivaled the passion he showed for the New Orleans Saints. He explained it as a duty to manage all of a state’s resources, including water, energy and fisheries.                

“Water will be the commodity of the 21st century,” he said. “I believe water will be in the bullseye of our efforts to balance the three E’s.”                

Angelle’s three E’s are energy, environment and economy. Anglle believes that the challenge for the future is to balance those three E’s.                

Angelle closed his speech with a humorous story about losing his focus on a family trip, and inviting the visiting water professionals to “Laissez les bons temps rouler” – “Let the good times roll.”                

The second speaker was Dr. Chuck Jackson, a motivational and inspirational speaker with experience as a classroom teacher and a Doctorate in Psychology. Jackson came on stage wearing a pair of overalls over a button shirt and tie. The mix of Oklahoma humor and deep professional insight filled the rest of the speech, making the audience laugh by juggling balloons before silencing them with penetrating questions.                

“Our way of life depends on American heroes,” Jackson said, pointing through the crowd. “Does it embarrass you for me to call you that?”                

Jackson makes that statement because he describes the rural water crowd as public servants – they don’t mark their success by money earned. That commitment creates the problem of burn out.                

“Only the most committed public servants get burned out,” Jackson said.                

He gave suggestions to prevent what he called “suicide by profession,” or the limiting of our lives by working long hours, under high stress and with limited resources.                

NRWA President Fred Sheldon spoke to the water professionals about continuing their relationships they have built in government and regulatory agencies. The session was opened with welcome and introduction from Wayne Fontenot, the national director from Louisiana and Patrick Credeur, executive director of the Louisiana Rural Water Association.

-30-