Water Finance

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has tracked water industry issues and trends since its founding in 1881. That tradition continues through its annual State of the Water Industry (SOTWI) survey.

The International Private Water Association (IPWA) will hold a Financial Tools Taskforce meeting via conference call on Thursday, March 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. (EST). The focus of the meeting will be a presentation by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

In January, California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued a drought emergency throughout the state and directed officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for severe drought conditions. But according to a report late last month from Fitch Ratings, California water utilities should be able to manage the state?s drought emergency in the near term.

In a response to the chemical spill in West Virginia last month that left more than 300,000 people without drinking water, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) reached agreement on legislative language that will help protect Americans from chemical spills that threaten drinking water.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-W.Va.) have announced the establishment of the Committee?s next special panel, which will focus on the use of and opportunities for public-private partnerships (P3s).

In the midst of California?s worst drought in more than a century, Ben Grumbles, president of the U.S. Water Alliance, announced the recipients of the 2014 U.S. Water Prize last month while speaking to the California Irrigation Institute conference attendees in Sacramento.

Michael Deane, executive director of the National Association of Water Companies, presents an exclusive perspective for waterfm.com on investor-owned utilities.

Last month, Texas voters approved a plan that will authorize $2 billion in state funding to finance 50 years of water infrastructure projects. The money will come via a transfer from the state?s Rainy Day Fund, which is flush as a result of oil and gas revenue.

The City of Shreveport, La., has agreed to make significant upgrades to reduce overflows from its sanitary sewer system and pay a $650,000 civil penalty to resolve Clean Water Act (CWA) violations stemming from illegal discharges of raw sewage, the Department of Justice and the U.S. EPA announced last month. The state of Louisiana, a co-plaintiff in this case, will receive half of the civil penalty.

On Nov. 27, Steve Edwards became the new chairman, president and CEO of Black & Veatch succeeding Len Rodman. The formal transition occurs as Rodman retires from Black & Veatch after 42 years with the company and 15 years as CEO.