Rates & Affordability

In July, the House of Representatives introduced the bipartisan Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Establishment Act. The legislation would re-establish and make permanent, the first-ever federal water assistance program after funding for the program expired in 2022. The bill was introduced by Reps. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.),Read More

The 2025 Water Finance Conference is jam-packed with expert speakers in water finance and beyond. The conference is hosting its eleventh annual event Aug. 5-6 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at SkySong: The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. The Water Finance Conference is a two-day educational seminar forRead More

Affordability. Government Mandates. Climate risk. Aging infrastructure.Water utilities face mounting pressures amid rising costs, new regulations, and aging systems. Chemical, energy, and labor costs have surged, while federal mandates—like PFAS treatment and lead service line replacements—demand fast-tracked, multimillion-dollar investments. The question facing finance leaders isRead More

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

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

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

Longtime water finance consultant Jason Mumm has joined Brown and Caldwell as its new senior director of infrastructure financing, the company announced in a LinkedIn post. Mumm’s expertise includes long-range financial planning, cost allocation, rates and charges, capital planning and financing, regional partnerships/agreements, and managementRead More

How Predictive Modeling Sets the New Standard for Water Main Management Did you know that North American water systems see 710 water main breaks a day, totaling $2.6 billion in annual repair costs? With 20% of existing water mains already beyond their useful life, waterRead More

According to a new comprehensive analysis of drinking water and sewer rates, the combined water and sewer bill for a typical U.S. household has increased by 4.6% from 2023 to 2024 and about 24% in the past five years. Bluefield Research, which analyzes and providesRead More

11th annual event seeking presentation proposals on western U.S. water issues, rate setting, affordability, BIL funding and more RICHFIELD, OHIO — Organizers of the 2025 Water Finance Conference are looking for speakers for its 11th annual event to be held Aug. 5-6 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the SkySongRead More