Water Finance

By Keith Oldewurtel In the United States, water and wastewater utilities are managing many challenges, with the EPA estimating that addressing the nation’s water infrastructure needs will cost hundreds of billions of dollars over the next several decades. Faced with increasing water quality initiatives, limitedRead More

By John Ryan The WIFIA Loan Program recently announced that it has reset the interest rates on two undrawn loan commitments originally made in mid-2018. The fixed rate on a $135 million loan to Orange County Water District and a $614 million loan to SanRead More

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, along with bipartisan and bicameral partners, recently announced MI Clean Water, a $500 million comprehensive water infrastructure investment in Michigan’s water systems from source to tap. The MI Clean Water plan, the state says, marks a significant investment after decades of underinvestment in Michigan’s infrastructure. “SinceRead More

The Orange County Water District received a low-interest loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) that will save ratepayers an estimated $1.4 million dollars annually over the life of the 30-year loan. The up to $181 million loan was granted for use towardRead More

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a pared-down version of the HEROES Act, the chamber’s previous COVID-19 relief package. The legislation contains $1.5 billion in aid to water and sewer utilities to help low-income ratepayers during the pandemic. The new version of the HEROES billRead More

While water and wastewater utilities are frequently tasked with a meeting multitude of operational standards, they also regularly tackle financial challenges that can have enormous economic ramifications to the public. With this in mind, how often should utilities look to raise rates? Can annual rate maintenanceRead More

Economic gains are possible when investors with different strengths and preferences are combined in a single financing. It’s happening at the WIFIA loan program. By John Ryan The WIFIA loan program makes long-term loans for qualified projects at the U.S. Treasury’s interest rate. Since debtRead More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans at events in Oceanside, Calif. and Salt Lake City, Utah. EPA’s 27th and 28th WIFIA loans will provide more than $415 million to help the local communities financeRead More

The American Water Works Association (AWWA), the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) are applauding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the pre-publication release of its proposed 2020 Financial Capability Assessment (FCA). The new document will aidRead More

Joined by leadership from the Orange County Water District (OCWD; Water District) and Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD; Sanitation District), U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently toured the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), where he announced a joint effort that will save ratepayersRead More