There are many ways to assess affordability of residential rates. A common metric is to compute the proportion of the Median Household Income of the community that would be spent on a year’s worth of “average bills” (termed Percent MHI). … Continued

NC Water Wastewater Funds 2021 This table lists the public funding sources for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects in the State of North Carolina. The table is updated frequently, as contact information and details for the program managers change. Last … Continued

Since March 2020, the U.S. Federal government has passed coronavirus relief and stimulus bills that funded various programs. Some of the programs can assist residents or businesses in paying their water or wastewater bills in certain circumstances. The federal coronavirus … Continued

The COVID-19 pandemic had suddenly and persistently disrupted many aspects of water and wastewater utility operations and finance since March 2020. In North Carolina, as in many states, utilities experienced growing amounts of payment arrears, reductions in use and revenues … Continued

This tool guides water/wastewater utility staff in estimating the costs of implementing a program to assist low-income residential customers pay their bills. Follow the step-by-step instructions to estimate the income distribution of households in the utility service areas and choose … Continued

This tool uses socioeconomic indicators from the US Census’ American Community Survey (ACS), population projections from the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, and relies on the user to input the system’s rates to imagine what using … Continued

The State Revolving Funds were created to help water and wastewater systems finance projects to protect public health and abide to other federal regulations. Each state, to an extent, designs their own criteria and process to distribute funds to applicants … Continued

While the concept of no access to clean water or sanitation likely conjures an image of a community in a developing country where residents use outhouses, and walk miles carrying buckets of water just to meet basic needs, the problem … Continued

The EFC at UNC worked with Abt Environmental Research on a Water Research Foundation funded study entitled “Customer Assistance Programs for Multi-Family Residential and other Hard to Reach Customers.” The primary objective of this project was to provide water utilities … Continued

Although historically underpriced, water and wastewater rates in some parts of the United States are increasing sharply. While the rate increases are necessary to address infrastructure funding needs and make up for lower per capita water use, higher rates also … Continued