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

Caroline Simpson is a graduate student with the UNC School of Information and Library Science and works as a Research Assistant with the Environmental Finance Center. Utility managers may find new perspectives on water system managerial capacity in an unfamiliar … Read more

Stacey Isaac Berahzer is a Senior Project Director for the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina, and works from a satellite office in Georgia. In many states, ask a water utility manager the hardest part of her … Read more

Guest author Peiffer Brandt is the Chief Operating Officer at Raftelis Financial Consultants. “New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board customers will see their monthly water and sewer rates more than double by 2020 after the City Council voted 5-2 Thursday … Read more

Shadi Eskaf is a senior project director for the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “What is the [national/state/recommended] threshold of affordable rates? Is it 2.5 percent MHI?” If I had a dollar for … 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

Stacey Isaac Berahzer is a Senior Project Director for the Environmental Finance Center at the University of North Carolina, and works from a satellite office in Georgia. We recently facilitated the first “Peer2Peer Exchange” where utility officials from ten of … Read more

Mary Tiger is the Chief Operating Officer of the Environmental Finance Center. Christine Boyle was a Post-Doctorate Fellow of the Environmental Finance Center. Thanks also to the direction and analysis provided by Jeff Hughes and Dayne Batten. Rising costs, declining … 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