Water Finance

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.

Recently, Sen. Tom Udall (N.Mex.) and Rep. Donna Edwards (Md.) introduced the Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2013, which will provide essential tools for communities looking at investing in advanced stormwater strategies to manage polluted runoff and protect clean water.

Sensus, a provider of clean technology solutions, has appointed Randy Bays to the position of president. Bays will lead overall operations of the company.

A record number of 22,589 registrants and 971 companies using 297,400 total sq ft of exhibit space has designated WEFTEC 2013 as the largest in WEF’s 86-year history.

In September, Lowell, Mass., City Manager Bernie Lynch and his administration pushed the City Council for approval of close to $63 million in loan orders to bolster the city?s water and sewer infrastructure.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and Maryland Governor Martin O?Malley recently announced an expansion of the Green Streets, Green Towns, Green Jobs Initiative (G3) thanks to a joint investment of $3.4 million by the State of Maryland, EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Last week, the Value of Water Coalition, a group comprising leading organizations responsible for ensuring the safety, reliability and sustainability of the nation?s water, announced the launch of a new campaign to inform Americans about the value of water and the challenges facing our waterRead More