Through a mutual agreement, the Illinois Water Quality Association (IWQA) has become part of the Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals (IAGP).

IWQA was founded in the early 1970s to support the professional growth of its members and to provide information to consumers. In recent years, the leadership saw that maintaining an all-volunteer-managed organization would be impossible to sustain, and began a dialog with the state’s water well association, IAGP.  

After two years of discussion, leaders from both groups agreed on terms that would provide mutual benefit to both organizations. “Our core membership recognized the value in having an association to provide industry education, member communications and serve a resource for consumers. IAGP had an infrastructure that provided those key elements. Individual relationships between water well contractors and water quality dealers already existed, so it seemed a reasonable avenue to explore,” states Willard McKinley, owner of McKinley Water Conditioning and treasurer of the former IWQA..

“Water quality is an important aspect of the ground water industry, yet many water well drillers and water well pump installers do not offer the service. Providing a potable and adequate supply of water isn’t enough for today’s consumers, given the technology available. The merger is a win-win outcome,” says IAGP president Stephen Snelten.