Guest Columns

UIM: Water Utility Infrastructure Management, the leading journal of finance and management for water and wastewater professionals, is hosting its first Water Finance Conference beginning tomorrow at the Great Lakes Science Center in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.

In January, congressmen reintroduced H.R. 499, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2015, in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Coalition (SWIC), the advocacy group supporting the bill and private activity bond legislation says it expects the bill to be introduced in the Senate in the coming weeks.

In November, SWIC caught up with G. Tracy Mehan III, a member of the U.S. EPA?s Environmental Financial Advisory Board to discuss the future of innovative financing for water and wastewater infrastructure. Read the highlights from his discussion with SWIC.

As we enter the final months of a turbulent election year, when already low-expectations sink even lower, it is important to remember the progress made during the second session of the 113th Congress.

In June, SWIC members joined PAB bill sponsors Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) to discuss their water and wastewater finance legislation, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2014, H.R. 4237 and S.2345.

On May 15, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act to the Senate. The bill is identical to the water private activity bond (PAB) legislation introduced by Reps. John Duncan (R-Tenn.) and Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) in March.

On June 2, SWIC members joined PAB bill sponsors Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) to hear the Congressmen outline and discuss their water and wastewater finance legislation, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2014, H.R. 4237 and S.2345.

SWIC applauds the introduction of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act of 2014 (H.R. 4237) in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 13. The bipartisan legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code to provide that the volume cap for private activity bonds (PABs) shall not apply to bonds for facilities for furnishing of water and sewage facilities.

With pivotal water infrastructure legislation in the balance, more than 130 water utility leaders from 46 states traveled to Capitol Hill on April 1 to advocate for the creation of a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority during the AWWA?s Water Matters! Fly-In.

For nearly three years, numerous U.S. water companies, organizations and advocates have lobbied Congress to reintroduce a significant piece of legislation to assist in the financing of water and sewer projects in the United States.