Kansas Municipal Utilities - KMU

Kansas Municipal Utilities - KMU Statewide association representing Kansas cities and other agencies involved in the ownership and operation of municipal utilities.

Kansas Municipal Utilities is the statewide association representing Kansas cities and other public or not-for-profit agencies involved in the ownership and operation of municipal utilities. Formed in 1928, KMU provides assistance and information to members with regard to legislative and regulatory issues, training and educational programs, and numerous other services towards the advancement of municipal utilities and to achieve maximum benefits for the customer-owners served by our utilities.

KMU’s popular Overhead Workshop returns, but this year with a focus on mutual aid response. The Overhead Mutual Aid Resp...
07/30/2026

KMU’s popular Overhead Workshop returns, but this year with a focus on mutual aid response. The Overhead Mutual Aid Response Workshop immerses participants in a realistic mutual aid event simulating damage to overhead electrical distribution systems. Teams will learn to assess storm damage, decide the most effective response, and coordinate through communication, strategic planning, and the hands-on rebuilding of overhead systems.

📅 September 16-18, 2026
📍 KMU Training Facility, McPherson, KS

Whether you are new to the industry or are a seasoned lineworker, this workshop provides essential knowledge and hands-on skills needed to respond effectively to mutual aid events and restore your community’s overhead electric distribution system.

Learn more at https://tr.ee/b2CIpP

Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU) invites locators to the Kansas Utility Locate Rodeo, September 10, 2026, at the KMU Tra...
07/29/2026

Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU) invites locators to the Kansas Utility Locate Rodeo, September 10, 2026, at the KMU Training Center in McPherson, KS, presented by KMU and Kansas 811. This free competition gives locators the chance to prove they're the best in Kansas and earn their way to the International Locate Rodeo in Springfield, MO.

Participants can compete in one of four divisions, including:
1. Electric
2. Water
3. Gas
4. Telecommunications

Cash prizes will be awarded to the third, second, and first place winners, with first place in each division receiving sponsorship to the International Utility Locate Rodeo.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to have your community represented. Sign up your locators today at https://tr.ee/iqYWVu

Kansas Municipal Utilities welcomes Christine Ayers to the team as its new Safety Services Coordinator.Christine brings ...
07/29/2026

Kansas Municipal Utilities welcomes Christine Ayers to the team as its new Safety Services Coordinator.

Christine brings more than a decade of experience in safety-related fields, including occupational, environmental, and microbiology laboratory safety. Before joining KMU, she worked as a Health Science teacher, developing and delivering training on workplace safety, health, and professional development.

She holds a bachelor's degree in general education from West Texas A&M and is CPR and First Aid certified. Christine is passionate about helping utility employees build safe work practices and strengthen the safety culture within their organizations.

Safe, reliable water systems depend on well-trained, knowledgeable operators. KMU’s Water Distribution Academy is design...
07/28/2026

Safe, reliable water systems depend on well-trained, knowledgeable operators. KMU’s Water Distribution Academy is designed to help new operators build a strong foundation in system operation and maintenance. Over three months, this comprehensive four-session course will immerse novice water distribution system operators in essential knowledge.

The academy equips attendees with practical insights to handle real-world challenges and serves as KWEA/WPI Distribution exam prep.

Academy graduates praise the program's impact. Reviews highlight the academy as "informative and engaging" with "a vast amount of information." Graduates value how "discussions over hard questions helped me to comprehend better" and appreciate that "every question was taken seriously."

The academy will be held at the KMU Training Facility in McPherson on:

• August 26
• September 16
• October 7
• October 28

Those who complete the full academy track will receive 20 hours of KDHE and KWEA/WPI water operator certification credits.

REGISTRATION: https://tr.ee/5QkCI7

When you check the forecast and see 95 degrees, you might think your outdoor crew can handle it. But that number tells o...
07/28/2026

When you check the forecast and see 95 degrees, you might think your outdoor crew can handle it. But that number tells only part of the story.

Heat index accounts for both temperature and humidity. High humidity traps heat against the body and prevents sweat from evaporating. That's how people cool down naturally. So 95 degrees with high humidity can feel 10 to 15 degrees hotter.

There's another piece most supervisors miss. Direct sunlight increases the heat index by up to 15 degrees. A shaded area might be manageable. Your crew in full sun faces completely different conditions.

The general weather forecast doesn't cut it for planning outdoor work. You need the actual heat index, hour by hour, so you can schedule work when it's safer.

That's what the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool App does.

It's free. Real-time heat index for your location. Hourly forecasts. Risk levels and specific precautions for each hour. You get what you need to make better scheduling calls.

iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/osha-niosh-heat-safety-tool/id1239425102?ls=1

Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=erg.com.nioshheatindex

New Career Opportunities in Kansas Utilities. Are you ready to elevate your career while serving local communities? Visi...
06/17/2026

New Career Opportunities in Kansas Utilities. Are you ready to elevate your career while serving local communities? Visit KMU's Career Center today and explore your next career move. www.kmunet.org/page/CareerCenter

KMU is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to provide Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) - t...
06/16/2026

KMU is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to provide Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) - the required driver’s education for CDL holders.

The ELDT training program requirement consists of three distinct phases of instruction, including:
1. Theory
2. Behind the Wheel Range
3. Behind the Wheel Public Road

KMU is holding a 1-day CDL Theory class (July 28, 2026) at the KMU Training Facility. During this class, participants will receive the required theory curriculum and take the KMU theory written test.

KMU provides a CDL BTW Instructor Credential Course (July 29, 2026) to KMU Members. Participants who complete this course will receive KMU BTW instructor credentials that will authorize them to train and qualify their employees in the two hands-on Behind the Wheel training phases while on the job.

CDL Theory – July 28, 2026: https://tr.ee/uzVjvu

CDL Behind the Wheel Instructor Course – July 29, 2026: https://tr.ee/emax76

Learn more about the CDL Program on the KMU website at https://www.kmunet.org/page/CDLELDTProgram.

Utilities across Kansas are navigating a rapidly changing energy and water landscape. As electricity and water demand sh...
06/15/2026

Utilities across Kansas are navigating a rapidly changing energy and water landscape. As electricity and water demand shift—driven in part by the growth of data centers, advanced manufacturing, and other industries that require significant energy and water—communities now face challenging questions about growth, infrastructure, and long-term planning.

The Data Center, Large Load, and Comprehensive Utility Planning Summit brings together utilities, regulators, developers, and local leaders for two days of discussion on how to serve large-load customers responsibly, protect ratepayers, and position Kansas communities for sustainable growth.

The summit will separate fact from speculation with data-driven information from independent experts on the most common topics surrounding large-load development, including real-world case studies from utilities and communities already supporting hyperscale data centers. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of what these projects require, what communities can realistically expect, and how to evaluate proposals using objective information rather than assumptions.

For more information and registration, visit the KMU website at https://tr.ee/8fkeKL

Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU) is offering Cross Connection Control/Backflow Prevention Training this July, a three-da...
06/03/2026

Kansas Municipal Utilities (KMU) is offering Cross Connection Control/Backflow Prevention Training this July, a three-day course designed to give water system operators the technical skills needed to protect municipal drinking water from contamination. KMU will be hosting two trainings in July.

Dates and locations, include:
1. McPherson, KS: July 8-10, 2026 https://tr.ee/hLkspP
2. Garden City, KS: July 28-30, 2026 https://tr.ee/LAFVVG

Operators who attend all three days will receive 15 hours of water operator credit through KDHE.

The course is built around the principles of hydraulic safety and public health, with a focus on keeping water flowing in a single direction, from source to consumer. Topics covered include:
• Why cross connection control and backflow prevention matter
• Theory and concepts behind hydraulic safety
• Backflow preventer devices
• Selection and installation of devices
• Field testing procedures
• Degree of hazard and selection of the appropriate device
• Developing a cross connection control/backflow prevention program

Participants will gain a thorough understanding of how pressure differences can cause water to reverse direction and introduce contaminants such as chemicals, medical waste, or debris into the community’s water system. The course also covers how to identify and track hazardous cross connections, how to install and maintain valve assemblies, and how to interpret testing results.

To become certified, participants must pass both a written exam and a hands-on device testing component. Those who pass both exams will receive certification as a Backflow Prevention Tester with KMU.

In June, KMU will be hosting four water and wastewater workshops throughout Kansas. Each training is free to attend, inc...
06/01/2026

In June, KMU will be hosting four water and wastewater workshops throughout Kansas. Each training is free to attend, includes lunch, and offers valuable operator credits. These sessions are intended for operators, decision-makers, and utility staff. For detailed information on each workshop and registration, visit the KMU website at www.kmunet.org/events.

Upcoming June workshops include:

Water Distribution Fundamentals
Free of charge, with lunch provided
5 hours of water operator credit available
June 2, 2026 | 9 AM - 3:30 PM | Fredonia, KS

Surface & Groundwater Fundamentals
Free of charge, with lunch provided
5 hours of water operator credit available
June 4, 2026 | 9 AM - 3:30 PM | Clay Center, KS

How to Take a Sample: The Right Way!
Free of charge, with lunch provided
5 hours of water operator credit available
June 10, 2026 | 9 AM - 3:30 PM | Great Bend, KS

Cybersecurity
Free of charge
5 hours of water or wastewater operator credit available
June 17, 2026 | 9 AM - 3 PM | Virtual

Address

2090 East Avenue A
McPherson, KS
67460

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(620) 241-1423

Website

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