Water Finance

By Doug Scott U.S. water and sewer utilities will see some weakening in their financial profiles over the next several months, effectively reversing a trend of steadily declining leverage in recent years as utilities limited the rate of debt growth and posted robust operating margins.Read More

When you think about examples of great innovation, it’s easy to think about things like modern technology. The smart phone. Steve Jobs. A bold vision to change the status quo with a groundbreaking product or service. In the water/wastewater utility sector, that same kind ofRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 39 new projects are being invited to apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans and four projects are being added to a waitlist. The agency anticipates that, as funds become available, $6.7 billion inRead More

In this new edition of Water Finance & Management Conversations, Kenji Takeuchi, senior vice president of technology solutions, joins WF&M to discuss aging infrastructure, the advancement of machine learning technology and the role of water systems in creating smart cities. We discuss how technology beingRead More

In November, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a $1.75 trillion social spending bill that, according to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), includes more than $10 billion for several water-related priorities. These funds would come in addition to the nearly $50 billion in newRead More

Raftelis has announced it acquired Westin Technology Solutions on Nov. 1. The company says the acquisition will enhance its focus on the effective use of business technologies including utility billing and work and asset management optimization. “Adding Westin’s expertise in utility asset and customer managementRead More

By Michele Samuels Crisis management and emergency response are terms all too familiar to water utilities. As providers of one of our most essential customer services, utility operators have a proven track record in pragmatic problem-solving to ensure continuity for their communities. But as new threatsRead More

SL Environmental Law Group has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Water Replenishment District (WRD) against 3M Company, E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and other manufacturers of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for their involvement in the manufacture and sale of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substancesRead More

SewerAI, a provider of AI computer vision and cloud computing sewer condition assessment software, recently announced that Bentley Systems, Inc., participated in SewerAI’s $1.5 million venture round through the Bentley iTwin Ventures Fund. Bentley joined Burnt Island Ventures, Builders VC and EPIC Ventures among others in thisRead More

Illinois American Water, the largest investor-owned water utility in Illinois, and Sol Systems, cut the ribbon on the water utility’s first solar project located in Champaign County, Ill. The 2.3-megawatt (MW) project includes bifacial panels, single-axis trackers, and the installation of native grasses to promoteRead More