Water Finance

Charlotte-based water and wastewater consultancy Raftelis, announced it has acquired Public Resources Management Group, Inc. (PRMG), a similar firm, with a particularly strong presence in Florida and throughout the Southeast. PRMG adds to Raftelis’ portfolio additional expertise in the electric, natural gas, and solid wasteRead More

U.S. House Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) — co-chairs of the bipartisan House Municipal Finance Caucus — introduced The Investing in Our Communities Act (H.R. 2772) in May, which would amend the federal tax code to reinstate the option for a single advance refundingRead More

The U.S. municipal water landscape is undergoing a transformation as critical infrastructure services — water, gas, and electricity — converge under single investor-owned utility banners. This trend is highlighted by the growing roster of diversified infrastructure service providers owning water and wastewater utilities in theRead More

The American Water Works Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies and Water Environment Federation have together produced a report that proposes a new approach for assessing community and household affordability for water services. The report, “Developing a New Framework for Household Affordability and Financial Capability AssessmentRead More

The House Appropriations Committee passed its Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Interior & Environment Appropriations bill in May, which funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and included a significant increase for key EPA programs. This occurred on the same day President Trump broke off discussionsRead More

Last week, congressional leaders agreed on a $19.1 billion emergency supplemental spending bill that would aid communities affected by recent wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes. The measure is expected to pass once lawmakers return from this week’s Memorial Day recess. The bill includes an additional $296 million inRead More

The P3Great Lakes Initiative is seeking municipalities from the Great Lakes basin states — Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio Pennsylvania and New York — to finance green stormwater infrastructure via an Environmental Impact Bond (EIB). According to P3Great Lakes, the EIB is a financing tool that uses a “PayRead More

The American Water Works Association’s most recent Water and Wastewater Rate Survey reveals that average increases in drinking water and wastewater charges continue to outpace the rise in the U.S. Consumer Price Index. The 2019 rate survey is now available here. Between the 2016 and 2018 surveys,Read More

The first-ever analysis of needs of the U.S. stormwater sector shows an estimated $7.5 billion annual funding gap and revealed top priorities and challenges across the country. The inaugural MS4 Needs Assessment Survey led by the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF) Stormwater Institute, reflects an effort toRead More

President Donald J. Trump, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), met last week to discuss the possibility of a bipartisan infrastructure deal. The two sides reportedly reached an agreement on the outline of a $2 trillion infrastructureRead More