By Alicia James, Project Manager, SOG Environmental Finance Center Public utilities systems provide communities with clean, safe drinking water and wastewater treatment. They improve the environment, health, and quality of life in communities where we live, work, and … Read more

    By Justin Nolan, Project Director, SOG Environmental Finance Center The craft beer industry is exploding across North Carolina, from around 200 breweries in 2019 to 430 in 2023. According to a recent study on the beer industry’s economic … Read more

    By the SOG Environmental Finance Center Introduction The SOG Environmental Finance Center, in collaboration with the North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure, recently conducted a comprehensive survey of stormwater utilities in North Carolina for fiscal year 2024. This … Read more

    By Hope Thomson, Project Director at the SOG Environmental Finance Center The SOG EFC primarily collaborates with public service providers, including local governments and institutions that manage water, wastewater, stormwater, and other essential environmental services for communities. Its … Read more

    By Megan Doherty, Project Analyst, SOG Environmental Finance Center Abundant natural resources, especially water, are often taken for granted. However, increasing pollution is making clean water more expensive to produce. The crucial questions now are: How do we … Read more

    By Emma Grace Copenhaver, Project Analyst at the SOG Environmental Finance Center Dashboards Since 2005, the SOG EFC has been creating dashboards that compare utility rates across a state. These dashboards are helpful tools for utility decision-makers as … Read more

    By Emma Grace Copenhaver, Project Analyst, SOG Environmental Finance Center Septic tank failure is a growing yet frequently underreported problem in the United States. A 2020 Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWMEA) report estimates that nearly half … Read more

    By Megan Doherty, Project Analyst at the SOG Environmental Finance Center Did you know that, for every US home, at least 60,000 gallons of water is stored in water mains?* If customers had to pay utilities for this … Read more

    By Emma Copenhaver, Project Analyst at the SOG Environmental Finance Center State Revolving Funds, or SRFs, can be attractive for many utilities because they offer low-interest loans for expensive capital improvement projects. SRFs provide financing for drinking water … Read more

    By Hope Thomson, Senior Project Director, SOG Environmental Finance Center Providing environmental services can be expensive, and how those services are paid for is important. Often, recipients of those services, the customers, directly support the costs. However, in … Read more