Arizona Funding Workshop for Water System Owners Operators and Managers

Session 1: Capital Planning
All water and wastewater systems face high capital costs. Aging infrastructure needs to be rehabilitated or replaced. Without adequate planning and yearly budgeting for capital projects, utilities become financially challenged to fund and pay for needed projects. This session will cover the basics of asset management and capital planning practices.

Session 2: Financing for water and wastewater infrastructure projects through the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA)
WIFA offers below-market interest rates, flexible loan terms, grant-like principal forgiveness, and technical assistance. This session will provide an overview of WIFA programs and how to secure funding for critical infrastructure projects.

Session 3: Financing water and wastewater infrastructure needs of small, financially distressed rural communities through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA will provide an overview of its Rural Development grant and loan programs including SEARCH grants, ECWAG, and other funding opportunities.

Session 4: WaterSMART Grants through U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
In this session, information about available USBR grants and tips on how to apply will be discussed. These grants are provided under USBR’s WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) program. The presentation will include: Basin Studies, the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects, Water Marketing Strategy Grants, the Water Conservation Field Services Program, the Drought Response Program, and Title XVI – Water Reclamation and Reuse.

Session 5: Other funding options and resources
This session will go over other funding options and resources for public water systems in Arizona such as grants and loans from the North American Development Bank, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and CoBank.

Questions?

Contact Reshet Gebremariam
602-771-4220