Description: Water and wastewater systems have a variety of priorities that proper rate setting can help achieve. In this workshop, we will explore how small water and wastewater systems can structure rates and price water and wastewater to recover the full … Read more

Dayne Batten is a Research Assistant for the EFC and second year MPA student at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Government. Traditional engineering plans suggest that, when customer demand approaches the maximum daily capacity of a utility’s treatment plant, the utility … Read more

Jeff Hughes is the Director of the Environmental Finance Center. Ask any utility manager to list the top business drivers and the “R-word”, Regulation, is likely to be near the top.  Given the financial implications of many regulations, it’s not … Read more

David Tucker is a Project Director for the Environmental Finance Center. Texas, the Lone Star State, is the second largest state in the union, and the second most populous. That means a lot of thirsty Texans when those hot summers … Read more

Guest author Peiffer Brandt is the Chief Operating Officer at Raftelis Financial Consultants. “Patrick Cannon… voted twice against raising our water fee.  That means a lot for senior citizens, families, and individuals on fixed income.  He deserves our selective vote.”  … Read more

Mary Tiger is the Chief Operating Officer of the Environmental Finance Center. We have written about a number of alternative rate designs for water utilities on this blog in the past year (see posts on PeakSet Base Model and CustomerSelect … Read more

Jeff Hughes is the Director of the Environmental Finance Center. “How much should our utility maintain in reserves?”  This is one of the most common questions I get from utility managers during my finance courses. It is also one of … Read more

Matt Harris is the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for the Environmental Finance Center. The etymology of the word “dashboard” is an interesting story of technological change and innovation over time.  Originally the name given to the plank(s) of wood or … Read more

Guest Author Rocky Craley is a Senior Consultant at Raftelis Financial Consultants. Breaking News:  Utility rates have continued to increase over the last two years, according to the 2012 Water and Wastewater Rate Survey.  That’s the highest-level survey summary, which … Read more

Guest author Peiffer Brandt is the Chief Operating Officer at Raftelis Financial Consultants. An 82% rate increase.  That’s what the Milford (MA) Water Company has proposed to cover the costs of a new $25 million treatment facility. Rates in Milford … Read more