Water and Wastewater News , billed as “the international news resource for industrial & municipal water professionals” has some downright useful information for anyone who relies on a utility for water. Case in point: An article from September 11, 2007 written by L.K. Williams- “How To Pay By EPA, Agency Program Helps Communities Figure It Out.”
(Excerpts below. Read the full article HERE. )
Do you know about rate setting or cost recovery? What about that hot topic asset management? For water/wastewater utilities and the communities that support them, the money is critical but knowing how to manage that money may be more sustaining in the long run.
That’s the idea behind the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Finance Program, which is supported by an advisory board and a network of nine university- based centers (Environmental Finance Centers or EFCs). The EFCs provide training and other services to state and local governments and small businesses. The program is funded by EPA and other public and private money.
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In 1999, the Broome County Health Department determined that 41 percent of Windsor’s septic systems were failing. Wastewater was seeping above the ground surface, causing odor problems and potential health hazards. The department recommended the town invest in a public sewer system. Town efforts to pass a resolution on the matter failed twice.
In 2003, the town supervisor suggested contacting EFC; he had attended one of their workshops. Center staff helped with public education, community empowerment, process facilitation, and convened a group of technical assistance providers to work collaboratively. The group included the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Rural Community Assistance Partnership Solutions, N.Y. Rural Water Association, and the Environmental Facilities Corp.
The group held a series of public information, focus group, and public education meetings during 2004 and 2005. By explaining, with the appropriate amount of detail, the wastewater process, placing the cost in perspective, and describing the breakdown of every dollar contributed to the project, residents began to understand the underlying cost components of a wastewater system. At the next resolution vote for the public sewer project, the community passed the measure.
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(Jean) Holloway said two of the most important things that officials need to know are that:
1) It is important to let technical personnel have input on the financial end because they know the costs of manpower, electricity, and chemicals they need to stay in compliance. Arbitrary cuts to the budget can put a utility out of compliance.
2) Elected officials need to be aware of how much liability they have for running a utility system. Operators may go to jail, but officials also may have some personal liability, such as negligence.
Read the rest of the article here
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Check the EPA program out for yourself: www.epa.gov/efinpage.
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