Guest Columns

Among the proposals highlighted by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week was $250 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects around the state. Also last week, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a plan to spend $220 million to modernize the state?s aging water system.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a survey showing that $271 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nation?s wastewater infrastructure.

Last week, more than 100 finance professionals in the areas of water, wastewater and stormwater gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, for the inaugural Water Finance Conference.

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.