As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to escalate around the world, I’m reaching out to share NGWA’s continued commitment to our membership.
The safety of our community, members, volunteers, and employees is our primary concern.
This epidemic can often feel overwhelming, but we feel it’s important to remember — We Are Better Together.
On Sunday, March 22, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton had issued a “stay-at-home” order for all Ohioans. This order, like similar orders around the country, will close all businesses
with the exception of those deemed “essential.”
The order went into effect on Monday, March 23 at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in effect until at least Monday, April 6.
Although NGWA is located in Ohio, we are still working on your behalf to provide resources, information, and other support to our members during these unprecedented times. All NGWA services are fully available and we do not foresee any big disruption
to serving our members.
We will continue to keep you informed and encourage you to visit this COVID-19 information page for updates as well as well as new resources as they become available.
Here is a summary of our continued work on your behalf:
- NGWA phone and fax lines remain open, and staff is available via email and phone.
- After our successful Fly-In in Washington, D.C., we are currently coordinating follow-up actions to ensure our efforts remain active throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also coordinating with our regional policy committees to receive feedback on
policy issues impacting our membership on a regional level.
- We encourage you to access our online resources, including our award-winning journals.
- There is a wealth of online content related to safety, best practices, and more. Online bookstore orders are still being processed with standard shipping. Expedited shipping and international orders are suspended, however, for the time being.
- Examination services for NGWA’s Voluntary Certification Program and state licensing programs have been suspended as PSI has temporarily closed their in-person testing centers. Centers are tentatively set to reopen April 13, 2020. The most up-to-date
information regarding testing availability can be found at PSI’s COVID-19 web page.
- Our future educational events, including timing and venues, are being monitored and as the situation evolves, we will update you on any changes.
- Our member manufacturers and suppliers tell us, at this point in time, there is not a slow down or interruption of production and supply of products. They are making every effort to maintain safe work environments in order to meet the supply and demand
of our industry. We will continue to monitor and advise you should the situation change.
- Want to connect with other groundwater professionals in real time? We have a new Facebook group called “COVID-19 Discussion Group” that has all of our latest news and updates about the coronavirus. The group also provides a space for contractors,
drillers, owners, and other professionals to seek advice on social distancing practices or how to better serve clients during this time. Click here to join the Facebook group.
- We encourage you to follow our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram) and check our website regularly for the latest information.
As the situation progresses, we will act accordingly to recommendations made by federal, state, and local health departments. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to do what’s best for our community.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. The work of our membership will prove to be more important than ever in the coming months and it’s an honor to serve you.
Please stay healthy, informed, and let us know how we can serve you.
Thank you,
Terry S. Morse, CAE, CIC
NGWA Chief Executive Officer