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Mahalo!
This year's conference took place from November 18 - 20, 2025 at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort. Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2025 Training and Technical Conference a success! To all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and volunteers - mahalo! We would also like to give a special thank you to Phil Combs, NRWA President, and to Toni Glymph-Martin, our Keynote Speaker, for making the time to attend and speak at our conference. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event a great opportunity for learning and connecting. See you again in 2026!
Presentations
Presentations
Congratulations to the Competition Winners!
Water Taste Test Competition
1st Place: Hawaiʻi Department of Water Supply South Kona, Hawaiʻi Island
2nd Place: Hawai‘i Water Service Kapalua, Maui
3rd Place: Hawaiian Beaches, Hawai‘i Island
A panel of three distinguished taste testers judged all water samples in a blind taste test based on clarity, taste, and odor. Water samples were submitted by public water systems from across the islands, all aiming to be recognized as having the tastiest water in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i Department of Water Supply (DWS) South Kona received the award for Best Tasting Water in Hawai‘i. DWS South Kona will go on to represent Hawai‘i to compete with other state winners from around the country in the national “Great American Water Taste Test” competition at the annual Rural Water Rally held in Washington, D.C., in February 2026.
Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Competition
Winner for Highest Score: Ben with Hawai‘i Department of Water Supply North Kona
HRWA acknowledges the special skills it takes to be a licensed BPA Tester and has honored that specialty with this competition. This was a great opportunity for testers to show off their skills on testing an RP assembly while having fun. This year, we held a Reduced Pressure Zone Assembly Challenge in which competitors demonstrated proper connection, test procedures, and purging of a differential pressure gauge to RPZ test ports. Ben with Hawai‘i DWS North Kona took first place!
Congratulations to our newest graduates from the Apprenticeship Program!
On November 20, we celebrated the graduation of Wayne and Merick from Cohort 3 of the HRWA Apprenticeship Program. We mahalo them, their mentors, and Pural Water for their commitment to the water industry and for embodying the spirit of service that defines our rural and small systems. We look forward to seeing their continued growth and leadership in the years to come.
Celebrating Earl Ichimura's Retirement
At the awards luncheon, we also proudly honored Board Member Earl Ichimura on his retirement, recognizing his extraordinary leadership and vision that have shaped HRWA from its earliest days. As one of the original directors who helped transform an idea into a thriving organization, Earl brought decades of expertise and a steadfast belief in supporting Hawai‘i’s rural and small water systems. Congratulations Earl, we wish you the very best!
Mahalo to Our Conference Sponsors!
Mahalo to Our Exhibit Hall Vendors!
A big thank you to the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort for being both our host hotel and site of the conference!
Apprenticeship Golf Tournament
Following the conference, HRWA also held a fundraiser golf tournament on November 21 at the Village Course at Waikoloa. All proceeds went to support our Apprenticeship Program for Water Systems Operation Specialists. Teams of two competed for prizes and bragging rights, including competitions of longest drive, closest to the hole, and longest putt. Mahalo to all who participated! And of course, a special thank you to the Village Course at Waikoloa for having us!
Mahalo to our Golf Tournament Sponsors!
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