Water Finance

Tech Perspectives: Remote Shutoff Capabilities Help Make Water Utilities More Resilient

Tech Perspectives: Remote Shutoff Capabilities Help Make Water Utilities More Resilient

By Trey Overman Many factors come into play that help make water utilities and the communities they serve more resilient. Using the right technology, they can enhance service, create operational efficiencies and improve their bottom line. All through the careful and remotely managed flow ofRead More

Water Finance Conference returning to Washington, D.C., in August

Water Finance Conference returning to Washington, D.C., in August

Registration now open for 8th annual event; Early bird registration ends July 15 The eighth annual Water Finance Conference will be returning to the nation’s capital this summer, Aug. 17-18, 2022, at the Hilton Washington DC Capitol Hill Hotel. The agenda will be released in the comingRead More

Sewer Rehab, Lead Replacement Poised to Thrive with Increased Funding, Creativity

Sewer Rehab, Lead Replacement Poised to Thrive with Increased Funding, Creativity

By Tiffany Harrison & Wayne Hofmann The combination of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has delivered a potent one-two punch for the water and sewer sectors.  ARPA provides more than $350 billion in financial assistance, with waterRead More

House panel advances water resources package

House panel advances water resources package

Public Utility Finance, Washington Report May 27, 2022 at 7:32 am

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in May approved its version of biennial water resources legislation to authorize a series of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects. Like a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) measure advanced earlier this month by a Senate committee, the HouseRead More

EPA announces additional $1.9 billion for SRF funds

EPA announces additional $1.9 billion for SRF funds

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $1.9 billion in grant funding to the State Revolving Funds (SRF) to accelerate progress on water infrastructure projects. Combined with historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this funding will help states, Tribes, and territories upgrade waterRead More

Senate panel advances WRDA bill

Senate panel advances WRDA bill

Public Utility Finance, Washington Report May 13, 2022 at 8:00 am

Recently, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously advanced the latest iteration of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), biennial legislation that authorizes flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to the Association of Metropolitan Water AgenciesRead More

J.D. Power: Customer satisfaction with water utilities sees decline

J.D. Power: Customer satisfaction with water utilities sees decline

Rates & Affordability, Water Management May 4, 2022 at 10:43 am

The six-year streak of improving or flat customer satisfaction with residential water utilities has come to an end. According to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, recently released, the past several years of goodwill earned through investment in water quality, proactiveRead More

Water sector: EPA’s proposed Financial Capability Guidance “falls well short” on affordability, environmental justice

Water sector: EPA’s proposed Financial Capability Guidance “falls well short” on affordability, environmental justice

In April, associations representing the U.S. water utility sector submitted comments to EPA in response to its draft of the proposed Financial Capability Assessment Guidance, in which several groups said the agency’s proposal “falls well short” of meeting the purpose of the revision of theRead More

Annual poll reveals voter confidence in water infrastructure diminishing

Annual poll reveals voter confidence in water infrastructure diminishing

Water Finance, Water Management April 27, 2022 at 8:55 am

The Value of Water Campaign released the results of its seventh annual national poll: The Value of Water Index. The poll annually tracks voters’ opinions and concerns around water infrastructure, climate, the environment and other water issues. This year, the poll also asked questions aboutRead More

Fitch Ratings: Rising interest rates present opportunity for WIFIA, water utilities

Fitch Ratings: Rising interest rates present opportunity for WIFIA, water utilities

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance April 26, 2022 at 8:12 am

A rising interest rate environment could prove a boon for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, according to a new Fitch Ratings report. The WIFIA loan program has been hugely successful for U.S. water utilities but is currently oversubscribed. The size ofRead More