Rates & Affordability

In August, EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) released a draft report providing recommendations to the agency on water infrastructure investment. The document, entitled EPA’s Role in Addressing the Urgent Water Infrastructure Needs of Environmental Justice Communities, outlines suggested actions EPA should take to address water infrastructure challengesRead More

By Alyse Greenberg As water utilities work to upgrade aging infrastructure, address changes in water supply and demand, and meet regulatory requirements, many of the increased costs are passed through to customers. Increased rates mean that more utility customers may face difficulties in paying their bills.Read More

On June 6-7 in Chicago, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies will host Strategic Communications: H2O (StratComm), an event geared toward engaging public utility officials on best practices in ratepayer communication, public relations and outreach.  The purpose of StratComm is to help clean water utilities innovate — orRead More

By Todd Danielson “Honey, why is the cat wet?” That is not a phrase people want to hear because most cats do not willingly get wet. Those of us in the utility world especially don’t want to hear the cat got wet because it couldRead More

By Jeff Lipton Collecting revenue is the lifeblood of any business. Without timely and predictable collections, business operations are strained, budgeting for expenses falters and long-term planning becomes increasingly difficult. Investment decisions are delayed and the impending uncertainty can create an environment of fear amongRead More

By Greg Baird Let’s face it, if our roots are in government finance, we are a conservative breed. Our backgrounds prior to becoming a water finance manager, director or CFO have been from accounting, budgeting or investments. In any case, our training and experience haveRead More

To help its clients address communications needs, Raftelis has hired industry-leading strategic communications specialist Melissa Elliott as a manager in its Denver Metro office. In just the last five years, the water industry has seen an upsurge in public attention — water quality crises, affordability concernsRead More

By Julius Ciaccia, Jr. Over the last 40 years serving in top-level management for water/wastewater public utilities, I’ve been witness to a steady conversation about the broadening infrastructure investment gap in the drinking water and sewer industry. We continue to strike the mallet to bringRead More

…A Case of the Shoemaker’s Children By Kristy Neckowicz Each year, financial and capital program managers must strike a balance between rate increases and the requirement to modernize our water and wastewater utilities. As our sights are fixated on the nation’s aging and failing waterRead More

Regional and Statewide Charges and Fees Can Help Pay for Projects to Reduce Stormwater and Agricultural Runoff By Michael Curley Forty-five years ago, when the Clean Water Act (CWA) was passed, urban sewage was the No. 1 source of water pollution. The 1972 Act includedRead More