Maine Rural Water Association has been named the 2026 #1 Best Places to Work in Maine in the Small Employer category!
For six years now, Maine Rural Water Association has been among the top recognized Best Places to Work in Maine; this year we hit a new milestone; We earned THE #1 ranking in Best Places to Work among Small Employers!
For a small organization serving communities across Maine, this achievement is special. At MRWA, our work is all about people, teamwork, and supporting the professionals who keep Maine's water and wastewater systems running.
Here's how Director Kirsten Hebert shared the news with the team:
"Good Morning All!
I wanted to share the good news with you -
I received a call from the Best Places to Work staff asking if I could please attend last night's ranking reveal celebration. As you know, this is our 6th year participating in the Best Places to Work event and we haven't been asked to attend before. I was intrigued.
After watching the countdown for small, medium and large companies for 67 Maine businesses... it was time for the top 5 of each category.
I sat, listened to the fourth ranked companies....not us.
I smiled to myself thinking we made the top three- that's an honor!!!
Then... our name wasn't called for the third ranking.
Then I heard the runner ups name.... still not us.
CONGRATULATIONS! MRWA IS RANKED THE BEST - LITERALLY THE BEST- PLACE TO WORK IN MAINE!!!!!
Thank you to all of you for giving it your best day in and day out!
I have always said that our team is unstoppable when we put our collective minds to it!"
A great workplace starts with great people. And at Maine Rural Water Association, we're proud to have both.
At Maine Rural Water Association, staff know the work they do matters; helping protect public health, safeguarding the environment and supporting the water and wastewater services Maine communities depend on. As a statewide trade association, MRWA provides assistance, training and emergency response to systems of all sizes, including many small and rural utilities with limited resources, giving employees the chance to solve real world problems such as leak detection, water main breaks and regulatory compliance.
MRWA has invested in equipment including four fully equipped emergency response trailers that deploy when communities face critical water or wastewater emergencies, and employees take pride in helping utilities and residents through challenging moments. Professional development is central to MRWA's mission through its registered Apprentice Program and education that supports operators in earning and maintaining their required licenses.
Staff work remotely and travel to communities across Maine, building relationships with utility personnel and local leaders while experiencing some of the State's most beautiful places. MRWA employees are trusted to use their expertise, think creatively and make decisions that benefit the communities they serve, supported by a team mentality, management that encourages staff input and job shadowing both within the Association and out in the field.
For more than four decades, MRWA has helped Maine's utilities protect public health and provide reliable service, and its culture of teamwork and professional development empowers employees to grow, serve and make a lasting impact on Maine residents every single day.
Thank you all for being part of our organization!
