STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service water quality specialist has been named 2020 chair of a regional professional and trade association.

Jason R. Barrett, an assistant Extension professor in the MSU Water Resources Research Institute, is now chair of the Alabama/Mississippi Section of the American Water Works Association, or AWWA. This organization is an international nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of drinking water quality and supply.

Founded in 1881, the AWWA is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world. It includes experts from more than 4,000 utilities that supply water to roughly 180 million people in North America.

As chair, Barrett is responsible for guiding the action and functions of the board, shaping the direction of the dozen committees that function within the section and assisting with the joint conference planning committee. The Alabama/Mississippi section partners with the Alabama Water Environment Association and the Mississippi Water Environment Association annually to host a joint conference.

“The goal of our organization is to be a leading force in the world dedicated to safe drinking water,” Barrett said. “Close to home, that means providing Alabama and Mississippi individual and utility members with the knowledge, resources and standards to operate and maintain their public water supply.”

For more information on MSU Extension Service support of safe water supplies, visit http://extension.msstate.edu/natural-resources/water-resources.