Water Finance

EPA announces $6 billion in WIFIA funds for water projects

EPA announces $6 billion in WIFIA funds for water projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the 2020 notice of funding availability under its Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, including funding for WIFIA’s new state infrastructure financing authority, known as the SWIFIA program. These funding programs accelerate investment in criticalRead More

House FY21 spending bill includes no new direct WIFIA appropriations

House FY21 spending bill includes no new direct WIFIA appropriations

As the start of the federal Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) rapidly approaches on October 1st, the U.S. House has begun working to advance its annual Appropriations (funding) bills through their committee process. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed its Interior and Environment bill to fund theRead More

San Francisco gets $513 million WIFIA loan for wastewater

San Francisco gets $513 million WIFIA loan for wastewater

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance July 10, 2020 at 11:00 am

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced a $513 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) in California to help finance needed pretreatment and other related improvements to its Southeast Treatment Plant, which treatsRead More

EPA releases financial impact tool for water utilities

EPA releases financial impact tool for water utilities

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new tool to help water utilities assess the financial impact of COVID-19 on operations. Throughout the COVID-19 national health emergency — and as communities across the country reopen — water utilities have reliably provided safe drinkingRead More

AWWA cites distancing, declining revenue as biggest concerns

AWWA cites distancing, declining revenue as biggest concerns

Public Utility Finance, Water Management July 1, 2020 at 3:23 pm

According to a recent survey conducted by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), most water utilities are returning to normal operations as they reopen their offices and relax some of the measures they put in place during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. ConductedRead More

NACWA’s Cost of Clean Water Index indicates increase in 2019

NACWA’s Cost of Clean Water Index indicates increase in 2019

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ (NACWA) 2019 Cost of Clean Water Index, released May 29, indicates that the average cost of wastewater services rose 3.8 percent in 2019, more than doubling the rate of inflation over the same period. The national average cost forRead More

Water sector asks Senate for aid in next relief package

Water sector asks Senate for aid in next relief package

The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), two organizations representing municipally-owned utilities, recently asked Senate leaders to include public sector aid in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation. Pointing to estimates that drinking water and wastewaterRead More

The Clean Water/Carbon Connection

The Clean Water/Carbon Connection

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance June 17, 2020 at 9:32 am

Can the CWSRF Represent a Financial Nexus of Climate Change and Water? By Michael Curley In the words of a man who farms 13,000-plus acres and has 12,000 certified tons of carbon credits, “selfless do-gooding is not a motivating factor for most farmers.” Amen. FarmsRead More

2020 Water Finance Conference shifts to virtual format

2020 Water Finance Conference shifts to virtual format

The 2020 Water Finance Conference is shifting to a virtual format. The sixth annual event, which exclusively covers financing in the U.S. water utility sector, was originally scheduled for Aug. 19-20 in Washington, D.C. Due to ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the event willRead More

The Power of Metering: How Long-life Batteries Affect AMI Profitability

The Power of Metering: How Long-life Batteries Affect AMI Profitability

AMR/AMI, Water Finance, Water Management June 12, 2020 at 2:00 pm

By Sol Jacobs Economics ultimately dictate the decision to upgrade from traditional water meters to a smart metering solution that combines robust meter construction with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), automated meter reading (AMR) and two-way wireless communications. The newest automated meters are incredibly robust, thusRead More