Current Projects

Funder: U.S. EPA, Environmental Finance Center Grant Program

UNC EFC supports small water and wastewater utilities in preparing and applying for Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds to support critical infrastructure projects. UNC EFC works with utilities across EPA’s Region 4 that have either self-identified or been identified as needing technical assistance by other agencies. In working with a utility, UNC EFC may conduct financial readiness analyses, perform rates analyses, present data to utility governing boards, assess the affordability of debt service, review applications and provide feedback to improve potential and identify areas of disadvantaged populations. However, each system is unique, and other financial perspectives or support may be appropriate (e.g., discuss regional solutions, advocate for audit compliance, etc.), and the UNC EFC, in these cases, will also act as a convener of additional support for communities by pulling in other resources and partners. In addition, working under the U.S. Water Alliance (a national Environmental Finance Center), UNC EFC provides similar financial technical assistance for communities across the country.

Funder: N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure, Department of Environmental Quality

UNC EFC has worked with N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure since 2016 to help N.C. communities and utilities improve their financial sustainability. Through this funding, UNC EFC provides a range of services, including trainings, research and analysis, case studies, one-page resources, and one-on-one technical assistance. Notably, DWI funding supports the annual update to the N.C. Water and Wastewater Rates dashboard and the biannual update to the Stormwater Fee Dashboard. Key research and analysis supported by DWI funding include Consolidation of Water And Wastewater Systems: Options And Considerations, Crafting Interlocal Water And Wastewater Agreements, Estimating The Statewide Water And Wastewater Capital Spending Plans Of North Carolina’s Local Governments, and Key Findings and Recommendations: Interviews with recent Division of Water Infrastructure MRF and AIA grant Recipients. Funding from DWI also supports the development and updates of UNC EFC’s suite of financial sustainability tools (along with funding from other sources). In 2024, UNC EFC will update the utility management survey, conduct a system development fee survey, and create a new interactive web resource for interlocal agreements.

Funder: Appalachian Regional Commission

With funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, UNC EFC is conducting an assessment of the water and wastewater infrastructure needs and funding gaps throughout the Appalachian Region. The goal of this analysis is to provide policymakers and local officials with a comprehensive overview of the current state of water and wastewater infrastructure in Appalachia, as well as detailed information on the investment requirements and financial strategies needed to address gaps in service throughout Appalachia given the limited fiscal capacity of many communities throughout the Region. In partnership with Virginia Tech, the project team is using a mixed-methods approach to update findings from the 2005 Gap Analysis report written by UNC EFC and assess trends over time.

Funder: U.S. EPA, Environmental Finance Center Grant Program

This program aims to connect the burgeoning brewing industry across North Carolina with the water utilities they share. Through direct technical assistance provided by our staff, the EFC seeks to introduce eco-friendly, environmentally responsible solutions to a community of brewers keen on reducing their environmental impact. Our team and partners develop solutions that balance the financial goals of breweries with the source pollution objectives of the EPA, creating compromises that benefit all parties. Additionally, we collaborate with local brewers’ organizations and experts in water and chemical use reduction to provide training and education on these topics to the broader brewing industry.

Funder: N.C. Policy Collaboratory

The UFC EFC collaborates with the North Carolina Collaboratory to manage the Innovative Highly Treated Wastewater Pilot Program. This initiative provides up to $4 million to the five utilities to replace or rehabilitate their wastewater treatment plants, aiming to improve effluent quality. UNC EFC acts as the primary liaison for key stakeholders and the main support team for the participating communities. In addition to project administration, UNC EFC offers technical assistance to each community and leads qualitative research to understand the factors influencing the success of small communities receiving large grants.

Funder: U.S. EPA, Environmental Finance Center Grant Program

The UNC EFC is partnering with the EPA to create a National Water and Wastewater Affordability Dashboard. This new tool builds on our existing Affordability Tool by including a national database of water and wastewater service costs, making it easier to track bill levels for different household usage. The dashboard will also feature extra utility data, affordability metrics, and information about customer assistance programs, all presented in a user-friendly format. This improved tool will be a great resource for utilities, policymakers, and community leaders, offering comprehensive data and benchmarking capabilities.

Funder: States (e.g., New Hampshire, North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, California, etc.)

Water and Wastewater Rates Dashboards are interactive tools designed to help utility managers and local officials benchmark rates, fees, and financial performance by comparing their utilities with others that have similar characteristics. Data on rates and financial performance are collected from hundreds of utilities across many states, along with information about system characteristics, customer demographics, geographic details, and more. This data is loaded into the dashboards, which use simple graphics to provide a comprehensive benchmarking assessment of each utility’s rates and financial performance. Metrics are sometimes benchmarked against specific targets or compared to other similar utilities. The EFC conducts surveys and achieves over 85% participation from all state utilities or partners with other organizations to gather survey data. Information displayed on the dashboards is available for download through links on the dashboard web pages. Water and wastewater rates and finance dashboards are available for the states listed on the Utility Rates Dashboards page.