The McLean Sheridan Rural Water District is a water treatment and water distribution supply to three communities and about 600 rural users in McLean and Sheridan Counties.  Additionally MSRW receives water from the city of Washburn under a supply agreement and supplies about 150 rural users in the Washburn area.

The McLean-Sheridan Joint Water Resource Board was created under the joint exercise of powers agreement as authorized by section 61-16.1-12 of the North Dakota Century Code, by the McLean County Water Resource District and the Sheridan County Water Resource District, and had its primary function to bring domestic water service to its service area in McLean and Sheridan counties, serving the cities of Turtle Lake, McClusky and Coleharbor.

The members of the Board consisted of members of the McLean and Sheridan County Water Resources Boards, which governed the action of the management subject to the control of the County Commissioners of each county. The Board in turn had delegated the responsibility for operations of the joint board to management personnel where various adopted policies would serve as a guideline for management decisions that are in compliance with the joint exercise of powers agreement and the applicable provisions of the North Dakota Century Code. Those policies would provide for uniformity in actions and result in the operations of the system to the best interest of the association and its members and without discrimination.

In July of 2006, the members of McLean-Sheridan Water Resource Board voted to convert from joint powers governance to a Water District, whereby its board of Directors would be elected by its users.  In November of 2006, the State Water Commission approved the petition for the change in governance, declaring by Administrative Order No. 06-02 that McLean-Sheridan become a water district on January 1, 2007. 

All past Board actions, debts, and responsibilities carry forward to the new Water District, according to state statute. Therefore, the McLean-Sheridan Rural Water District has as its primary function to bring domestic water service to its members within its service area and to serve the cities of Turtle Lake, McClusky, and Coleharbor. The District has delegated the responsibility for operations of the district to management personnel where various adopted policies will serve as a guideline for management decisions that are in compliance with its bylaws of the McLean-Sheridan Rural Water District and the applicable provisions of the North Dakota Century Code. The policies would provide for uniformity in actions and result in the operations of the system in the best interest of the association and its members, without discrimination.