Public Utility Finance

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

City of Laredo Modernizes Its Asset Management System

City of Laredo Modernizes Its Asset Management System

By Travis Michel The City of Laredo, Texas, has an extensive water and wastewater infrastructure system comprising more than 2000 miles of pipelines, two water treatment plants, six wastewater treatment plants, 75 lift stations, 19 storage tanks and booster stations, and greater than 12,000 manholes.Read More

Dems’ HEROES Act includes billions for utility, ratepayer assistance

Dems’ HEROES Act includes billions for utility, ratepayer assistance

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday released the HEROES Act, the latest proposed relief package to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic challenges resulting from it. The proposal includes $1.5 billion in funding for water ratepayer assistance to help strugglingRead More

WSSC cuts more than $131 million in FY21 budget

WSSC cuts more than $131 million in FY21 budget

The Montgomery and Prince George’s County Councils recently met to approve WSSC Water’s nearly $1.5 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget. The approved budget will allow WSSC Water to continue protecting public health by upgrading aging pipes, plants and pumps across both counties to ensureRead More

WATCH: George Hawkins, Andy Kricun and Greg Baird join WF&M to talk pandemic, water outlook

WATCH: George Hawkins, Andy Kricun and Greg Baird join WF&M to talk pandemic, water outlook

Water Finance & Management recently talked with George Hawkins, founder of Moonshot Missions, Andy Kricun, managing director at Moonshot Missions and Greg Baird, frequent contributor to WF&M and president of the Water Finance Research Foundation. The discussion largely focused on the financial and operational outlook forRead More

Pandemic & The Future: From Darkness to the Light in the Water Sector

Pandemic & The Future: From Darkness to the Light in the Water Sector

By George S. Hawkins & Andy Kricun Throughout history, great challenges often reveal the best in human spirit and ingenuity. At Moonshot Missions, we believe the impact of the coronavirus pandemic upon on the water industry will be matched by the indomitable spirit and creativity ofRead More

Poll: 84 percent of Americans want investment in water

Poll: 84 percent of Americans want investment in water

Public Utility Finance, Water Finance April 28, 2020 at 10:30 am

A new poll by the Value of Water Campaign released today shows that 84 percent of American voters want state and federal leaders to invest in water infrastructure. The near-unanimous support amid the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that voters value water and want elected officials toRead More

Reversing the Decline of Utilities: A P4 Alternative

Reversing the Decline of Utilities: A P4 Alternative

By Robert Sheets Water and wastewater utilities are more often than not self-supporting revenue enterprises (and sometimes revenue generators) for communities. However, even with the best of intentions, good utilities can go bad. In general, the smaller the utility, the greater the struggle, though thereRead More

Analysis: Drinking water revenue decline could mean $32.7 billion in losses

Analysis: Drinking water revenue decline could mean $32.7 billion in losses

Water industry associations last week offered a stark analysis of the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic on U.S. water utilities. According to an analysis prepared by Raftelis for the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), revenue shortfalls atRead More

WATCH: WF&M contributor Greg Baird chats with editor Andrew Farr about COVID-19

WATCH: WF&M contributor Greg Baird chats with editor Andrew Farr about COVID-19

Greg Baird is president of the Water Finance Research Foundation and a frequent contributor to WF&M. As a management consultant, he specializes in long-term utility planning, water infrastructure asset management and capital funding strategies for municipal utilities in the United States. He has served as aRead More