Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC)

Empowering communities in rural Alaska to sustainably provide safe water and sanitation services.



The Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) is a statewide program that partners with communities to manage, operate and maintain water/sewer systems in rural Alaska. There are two types of memberships within the ARUC statewide program—the Assisted Billing Program and the full ARUC membership program.

Alaska Rural Utility Collaborative (ARUC) 
1-866-205-7581
facebook.com/ANTHCaruc
Community Manager Contact List

ARUC Advisory Committee

The ARUC Advisory Committee serves as the liaison between ARUC and the participating communities, and provides advice and recommendations to ANTHC and to participating communities. The functions of the Advisory Committee are to: promote functional, safe and well-maintained sanitation facilities for participating communities; promote greater community and regional involvement in ARUC programs and activities; promote fair and equitable representation of utility customers; support development of comprehensive plans to assist participating communities in assuming responsibility of sustainable utility operation and annual generation of revenue to cover necessary community expenses; annually review and set financial, rate and policy recommendations for ARUC’s budget and individual budgets for participating communities based on the level of service provided; facilitate communications between the ARUC and participating communities; and promote sustainability and community and customer involvement in ARUC communities.

ARUC Membership 

Many communities subsidize their water/sewer system from a community general fund. ARUC works with community partners to set self-supporting water/sewer rates and consistently bill local water and sewer customers, so the community no longer needs to subsidize from their general fund.In addition to billing services and collection, the full ARUC Membership provides management and operations of the water/sewer system. ARUC assists partner communities with hiring local water plant operators (and backup operators).

ARUC member communities

  • Ambler
  • Chevak
  • Chignik Lake
  • Deering
  • Golovin
  • Goodnews Bay
  • Holy Cross
  • Hooper Bay
  • Kiana
  • Kobuk
  • Kotlik
  • Lower Kalskag
  • New Stuyahok
  • Newhalen
  • Noorvik
  • Pitka’s Point
  • Quinhagak
  • Russian Mission
  • St. Michael
  • Savoonga
  • Scammon Bay
  • Shungnak
  • Sleetmute
  • South Naknek
  • Toksook Bay
  • Tyonek
  • Upper Kalskag

Meet the Team

Billing Team

Billing Team

Ryan Chingliak is a Utility Billing Manager with ARUC from Akiachak, AK. He loves to hunt, fish, and travel.

Billing Team

Billing Team

Asia Zeedar has been with ARUC since June 2022. She takes payments, bank deposits, payment plans, auto-pays, late payment penalties, and runs reports (A/R, etc.).

Billing Team

Billing Team

Joanna Andrew is a Utility Billing Clerk who receives, tracks, performs data entry of payments, and assists customers. She is from New Stuyahok.

Support Staff

Support Staff

Gerri Mesack is a Financial Analyst for the ARUC program. ARUC wouldn’t be where it is today without her!

Support Staff

Support Staff

Tommy Galovin is a Technical Writer that assists the ARUC Program. A Green Bay Packers fan that enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and writing.

Support Staff

Support Staff

Stacie Farmer is a Program Associate I and she helps serve the DRUMS department. She grew up in Craig, “Our family enjoys dip netting.”

Support Staff

Support Staff

Bruce Nelson is a Remote Maintenance Worker for the Maniilaq Region in Kotzebue. He enjoys boating and photography in his community.

Business Team

Business Team

Chris Cox is a Senior Program Manager who oversees all business functions of ARUC. He is originally from Nome, with a passion for fishing.

Business Team

Business Team

Randy Walker is a Regional Manager in Kotzebue who thoroughly enjoys the water and wastewater profession. He is an outdoor enthusiast with his family.

Business Team

Business Team

Greg Anelon is a Regional Manager at the Anchorage office. He is from Newhalen, and loves everything outdoors.

Business Team

Business Team

Frank Neitz is a Regional Manager for Bethel Area. He is from Philipsburg, Montana, and loves all things outdoors.

Business Team

Business Team

Davina Carl is a Program Administrator for ARUC. She enjoys hiking, sewing modern qaspeqs, skiing, gathering berries,, and traveling.

Operations Team

Operations Team

Andy Lean is a Utility Support Engineer IV. Originally, from Nome, Andy has engineering degrees from UAF and UAA. Andy enjoys ARUC’s variety of fixing and building in challenging conditions.

Operations Team

Operations Team

Dakota Huntington is a Utility Support Engineer II who graduated from UAA. Originally from Anchorage her family is from Koyukuk and Nunapitchuk.

Operations Team

Operations Team

Gunner Hodgson is a mechanical engineer with an aptitude for controls and troubleshooting who supports ARUC managerially and technically.

Operations Team

Operations Team

Jevon Streicher is a Utility Support Engineer. He is from Portland Oregon, graduated from Montana State University, and enjoys snowboarding.

Operations Team

Operations Team

Augustine Hamner, from Anchorage, is a Utility Support Engineer with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She enjoys crafting & playing hockey!

Resources

Publications

News