Guest Columns

Forecast: 10-year CAPEX for U.S. water utilities could reach $629 billion

Forecast: 10-year CAPEX for U.S. water utilities could reach $629 billion

Financial Report, Public Utility Finance, Water Finance September 30, 2019 at 10:02 am

According to a new forecast from Bluefield Research, municipal utilities in the United States are expected to spend $629 billion on capital expenditures (CAPEX) over the next decade to address increasing demands on water and wastewater infrastructure. While the baseline forecast projects a 2.6 percentRead More

House panel approves assortment of PFAS proposals

House panel approves assortment of PFAS proposals

Washington Report, Water Management September 30, 2019 at 9:46 am

According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), a House of Representatives subcommittee last week approved a slate of 13 bills related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Among the legislation, bills include measures that would require EPA to issue a drinking water regulationRead More

In 2016, DC Water issued a unique $25 million Environmental Impact Bond, the proceeds of which went to green infrastructure projects to reduce the flow of stormwater into the Potomac River.

EPA, Army Corps repealing 2015 WOTUS rule, recodifying definition

Washington Report, Water Management September 19, 2019 at 2:57 pm

At an event last month in Albany, N.Y., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Pete Lopez, joined by representatives from the New York Farm Bureau and the Business Council of New York State, announced that EPA and the Department of the Army are repealingRead More

Knowing how much downtime a plant can manage may affect meter choice, but there may be a trade-off between ease of installation and accuracy.

Smart treatment, smart investment: New report details impact investment strategies in water

Commentary, Private Financing / P3s September 19, 2019 at 9:15 am

By Peter Yolles and Cynthia Koehler Newsflash: our water-stressed, climate-changing world is a major resilience challenge for communities. But there’s also an upside to meeting this challenge. Building resilient water solutions can create important, and sometimes catalytic, opportunities for private investors. That’s especially so inRead More

Hand holding piece of jigsaw puzzle with word FINANCIAL PLANNING. Selective focus

Why My Capital Planning Role Is So Challenging…

Guest Columns, Public Utility Finance, Water Finance September 16, 2019 at 9:41 am

By Kristy Neckowicz Although roles in planning differ, we’ve seen, time and again, the same handful of challenges related to the effective planning and execution of capital programs. If I walk a mile in a director of engineering’s shoes, here’s how my world would look… IRead More

Water sector briefs Congress, EPA on new affordability strategy

Water sector briefs Congress, EPA on new affordability strategy

Rates & Affordability, Washington Report, Water Finance September 9, 2019 at 10:01 am

During meetings on Capitol Hill and at EPA in late August, the lead authors of the joint NACWA, American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF) report, Developing a New Framework for Household Affordability and Financial Capability Assessment in the Water Sector, provided backgroundRead More

Letter to the Editor: A Farming Perspective on Agricultural Nutrient Runoff

Letter to the Editor: A Farming Perspective on Agricultural Nutrient Runoff

Guest Columns, Water Management August 26, 2019 at 8:48 am

By Don Wauthier The cover article in Water Finance & Management’s June issue by Michael Curley about agricultural nutrient runoff was a welcome wake up call to the water supply and treatment industry about this important issue. Despite what many think, the farm community is generallyRead More

COMMENTARY: Trust Your Engineers to Choose the Right Project Materials

COMMENTARY: Trust Your Engineers to Choose the Right Project Materials

Commentary, Water Management August 12, 2019 at 12:30 pm

By Abe Munfakh As a professional engineer, I have spent my career focused on infrastructure projects. While this has given me a unique perspective on the importance of these efforts, over the years I have also worked very closely with community leaders and elected officials onRead More

Senate approves budget deal that could boost EPA funds

Senate approves budget deal that could boost EPA funds

Washington Report August 2, 2019 at 1:41 pm

Last week the Senate signed off on a bipartisan, two-year budget deal that lays the groundwork for lawmakers to make progress on FY20 appropriations bills this fall. The budget agreement, which the House of Representatives previously approved, will now be signed into law by PresidentRead More

COMMENTARY: Numbers, Numbers, Numbers

COMMENTARY: Numbers, Numbers, Numbers

Commentary July 15, 2019 at 9:58 am

By Dan Buckley As contractors, engineers and business owners, we deal with numbers every day. As I give you a recent summary of how our elected officials have been behaving, I ask you to remember a scene from a movie that is over 20 yearsRead More