The National Ground Water Association and the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding to foster cooperation in addressing shared interests involving ground water and geothermal heating and cooling. 

Specifically, the agreement between the groups is intended to serve common interests in:

• Promoting national energy efficiency and environmental protection
• Protecting ground water from contamination
• Creating business opportunities for qualified drilling contractors
• Creating business opportunities for manufacturers and distributors of drilling equipment and related products.

NGWA executive director Kevin McCray, CAE, and GHPC executive director John Kelly signed the agreement.

"With the geothermal heating and cooling market on the rise, it only makes sense for our two organizations to work closely together to use and protect ground water," McCray explains. "Both our organizations are committed to high standards of professionalism that will help ensure the health and vitality of this market."

Kelly adds, "Drilling contractors are the key to the proper installation of the ground heat exchangers that allow geothermal heat pump systems to outperform other heating and cooling technologies. By working together, we can grow the capacity needed to meet the accelerating demand for these systems."