Guest Columns

President Donald Trump vowed to follow through on another key campaign promise when he announced during a recent address to Congress that he would ask for approval of a $1 trillion infrastructure spending plan. However, Trump’s comments on increased infrastructure investment came just days after theRead More

Bucks, Bonds or Borrowing By David Clamage Welcome to 2017 – a year that’s certain to be filled with change for you and your business of delivering, treating and addressing the water needs of your community. Politics, as always, will play a role in yourRead More

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review Waters of the United States regulations to make sure they align with the administration’s goals. The move, which has beenRead More

The Senate voted 52-46 on Friday to confirm Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Republicans moved forward with Pruitt’s confirmation despite a last-minute push from Democrats and environmentalists to delay the vote. Pruitt’s confirmation came a dayRead More

By Brian Ross Around the world, public-private partnerships (P3s) play an increasingly critical role in meeting the need for investment in water infrastructure. However, P3s in the United States often fail to succeed due to political opposition, lack of transparency and public resistance to privateRead More

By Yuval Cohen In Hindu lore, a group of blind artisans are asked to touch an elephant and describe what they experience. Each person touches a different part, one part at a time, then they compare notes. The parable follows that each person describes whatRead More

According to a new estimate developed by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), eliminating tax-exempt municipal bonds would increase water and wastewater infrastructure financing costs by $16 billion nationwide over a 30-year repayment period. TheRead More

Earlier this month, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-0 to advance Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for full consideration by the Senate. While some Democrats boycotted the committee, Republicans voted toRead More

Water and wastewater infrastructure funding programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would receive an additional $110 billion over the next 10 years as part of a massive $1 trillion infrastructure spending plan unveiled by Senate Democrats inRead More

Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma attorney general and President Trump’s nominee to head up the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expressed strong support for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program and the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) in his writtenRead More