Water Finance

RCAP awarded grant, looks to strengthen rural water system efforts

RCAP awarded grant, looks to strengthen rural water system efforts

The Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated (RCAP) has been awarded $150,000 from Global Water Challenge (GWC). The funding will expand efforts to build leadership capacity in underserved rural communities by supporting participation in the Water Leadership Institute’s workshops and eliminating financial and logistical barriers thatRead More

AWWA State of the Industry report says capital funding is top sector challenge

AWWA State of the Industry report says capital funding is top sector challenge

Rates & Affordability, Water Management June 16, 2025 at 7:15 am

In June, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) released its 2025 State of the Water Industry (SOTWI) report, which regularly ranks the top challenges and priorities facing the sector. This year, financing for capital improvements led the way as the top challenge among water sectorRead More

University of New Mexico gets $7 million grant from EPA

University of New Mexico gets $7 million grant from EPA

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance June 3, 2025 at 1:15 pm

The Southwest Environmental Finance Center, part of the University of New Mexico (UNM) is receiving a $7 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), part of a previously announced round of grant funding in May. The grant will be targeted toward providing smallRead More

Maximizing Water Utility Investment: TCO and ROI

Maximizing Water Utility Investment: TCO and ROI

Advertorial, AMR/AMI, Water Finance May 31, 2025 at 6:00 am

For water utilities, wise investments hinge on understanding the full financial picture. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a strategic framework that goes beyond upfront costs, revealing the true value of water system investments over their lifetime, typically 20 years for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).Read More

Here’s what’s on tap for the 2025 Water Finance Conference

Here’s what’s on tap for the 2025 Water Finance Conference

2025 Event in Scottsdale to Highlight Western U.S. Water Funding Challenges, Differential Rate Structures, Colorado River Cuts, Customer Affordability & Federal Funding The 2025 Water Finance Conference is hosting its eleventh annual event Aug. 5-6 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at SkySong: The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center.Read More

Rate Setting in Unsettled Times

Rate Setting in Unsettled Times

Rates & Affordability, Water Finance May 19, 2025 at 10:15 am

Best Practices for Project Funding By Erik Johnson & Brandon Vatter Water and wastewater utilities are tasked with balancing multiple goals and objectives that require significant funding and at times can conflict with each other. Additionally, securing financial support, both at the local and federalRead More

A Process of Questioning: WIFIA Sub-UST Rates for SRFs in a New Policy World

A Process of Questioning: WIFIA Sub-UST Rates for SRFs in a New Policy World

Washington Report, Water Finance May 8, 2025 at 2:15 pm

By John Ryan Like it or not, the U.S. federal government is in the middle of a major upheaval. Everything and anything, no matter how well established by time or precedent, can be questioned. It’s unlikely that the policy parameters of federal finance for waterRead More

NACWA: Proposed EPA budget puts Americans’ water at risk

NACWA: Proposed EPA budget puts Americans’ water at risk

Last week the White House released its FY2026 Budget Request that proposed significant cuts across the federal government including a 55% reduction in annual spending at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In total, the administration’s budget proposal looks to cut $163 billion in federalRead More

EPA announces technical assistance for small, rural, tribal systems

EPA announces technical assistance for small, rural, tribal systems

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance May 1, 2025 at 3:43 pm

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $49 million in funding to technical assistance providers to help communities address wastewater challenges through the Rural, Small and Tribal Clean Water Technical Assistance Grant Program. This funding will be for projects helping hundreds of communities with wastewaterRead More

Commentary — WIFIA FCRA Criteria: Poster Child of Bureaucratic Overreach

Commentary — WIFIA FCRA Criteria: Poster Child of Bureaucratic Overreach

Water Finance April 28, 2025 at 12:45 pm

By John Ryan Are the 2020 WIFIA Federal Credit Reform Act Criteria an example of bureaucratic overreach? Before Jan. 20 of this year, the answer to that question would perhaps not have mattered much. But now it does – as a precursor to more directRead More