» Clean Water Current Archive

May 18, 2012

NACWA Releases NACWA Service Charge Index Survey Results

The results from NACWA’s 2011 Service Charge Index survey are now available and suggest that utilities continue to fund needed infrastructure repairs despite the current economic conditions.  In fact, for the past decade the increase in the average cost of wastewater services for a single-family residence has outpaced the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).  In 2011, the average service charge increased by 5.8 percent, while inflation increased by only 3.2 percent over the survey period, with the average single family’s annual cost for wastewater services topping $389.  The new, all electronic format for the Index has enabled the addition of information on regional variations in sewer charges and a more detailed analysis of the results.  The latest version of NACWA’s triennial Financial Survey, scheduled for release in July, will contain more detailed analysis of sewer charges nationally as well as the underlying rate structures.  Thanks to all Member Agencies who responded and helped to make the Index informative and valuable to the clean water community.

NACWA Discusses Energy Potential in Wastewater at Congressional Biogas Briefing

The American Biogas Council, along with the Congressional Biomass Caucus, held a briefing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss the role of anaerobic digestion and biogas production in generating clean energy, increasing environmental sustainability, and economic development.  Pat Sinicropi, NACWA’s Director of Legislative Affairs, spoke about the current use of digesters at municipal wastewater treatment plants and the potential for increasing production of biogas at these facilities – and provided examples of Member Agencies that generate energy from the biogas and biosolids produced during the wastewater treatment process.  The energy potential from the wastewater sector is, however, much greater than current rates of production.  According to an EPA report, there are currently 1,500 wastewater treatment plants in the U.S. that use anaerobic digestion, but only 104 have combined heat and power (CHP) systems to convert biogas into energy.  EPA estimates that CHP systems are technically feasible at an additional 1,351 plants.

Earlier this year, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) introduced the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012.  This bill would establish a Clean Energy Standard (CES) that would set annual targets for electricity production from clean energy sources.  This CES is intended to promote a diverse set of sources of low- and zero-carbon electricity generation in the U.S., including biogas from the wastewater sector.   Although this bill is unlikely to pass this year, establishing a National CES like the one Senator Bingaman has proposed would likely help encourage and incentivize municipal wastewater treatment plants to consider and implement energy production projects.

EPA, Water Sector Organizations Discuss Utility Sustainability

On the heels of releasing Planning for Sustainability: A Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities , EPA brought together the major water sector organizations this week to discuss the recent handbook and current priorities and potential gaps in promoting greater water utility sustainability.  Participants included the Executive Directors and key staff from NACWA, the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the American Public Works Association (APWA), the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA), as well as representatives for state drinking water and clean water program administrators. EPA expressed a desire to build off of its successful collaboration with many of the water sector groups to develop and release the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities (see www.watereum.org).

Now five years since those attributes were first released, meeting participants discussed what additional work, if any, was needed on, or related to, the attributes – especially to increase their use/adoption by small and mid-size utilities.  The water sector organizations present agreed that utilities of all sizes are facing intense pressures as they work to collect the revenue necessary to maintain service and repair their infrastructure.  Powerful political dynamics are making rate increases difficult and declining water use due to conservation efforts combined with volumetric-based rate structures are leading to declines in utility revenues.  Wastewater utilities are facing added challenges associated with massive, enforcement-driven capital projects that threaten community financial capability and affordability limitations.  Taken together, all of these challenges and financial pressures are making it increasingly difficult to explore new and innovative approaches that might enhance long-term sustainability.  Following a productive discussion, the water sector organizations and EPA committed to another meeting among staff to discuss potential next steps, including a potential dialogue of utility representatives to discuss the broad issue of water utility sustainability.

NACWA, DC Water Talk CSOs at Senate Briefing

NACWA’s Executive Director, Ken Kirk; General Manager of DC, Water George Hawkins, and Katherine Baer with American Rivers discussed combined sewer overflow (CSO) issues at a Senate briefing hosted by Senator Sherrod Brown’s (D-Ohio) office and the Northeast-Midwest Institute.  The briefing underscored the need to address affordability issues, provide municipalities with more flexibility through a viable integrated planning/regulatory prioritization approach, and the use of green infrastructure as a technique to limit runoff and flow to combined sewer systems. DC Water provided a compelling case study on the massive cost of its own combined sewer system upgrades and the importance of EPA’s regional and national offices being willing to provide greater flexibility to ensure its work remains within the bounds of very real affordability constraints.  NACWA acknowledged Sen. Brown’s leadership on these issues and his introduction of the Clean Water Affordability Act of 2012, which seeks to ensure that EPA revise its financial capability and affordability guidance, provides grant funding for CSO control projects and opportunities to reopen existing consent decrees, while also helping to ensure the viability of EPA’s integrated planning initiative.  NACWA and DC Water’s presentations are available on NACWA’s website.

NACWA Applauds Proposed Agreement to Extend Atlanta Consent Decree by 13 Years

NACWA member the City of Atlanta recently announced a proposed agreement with the United States and the State of Georgia to extend it existing wet weather consent decree by an additional 13 years, providing the City with some much-needed regulatory and financial flexibility as it continues its work to reduce wet weather sewer overflows.  The proposed agreement – which could serve as a model for other cities – extends the final completion date for the consent decree from July 2014 to July 2027, but does not require Atlanta to complete any additional projects beyond those already agreed to in the original 1999 decree.

The extension of the completion date acknowledges the substantial investments of over $1.5 billion the City has already made to reduce sewer overflows and will allow Atlanta to complete work on the consent decree in a manner that recognizes the significant economic burden facing the City and its ratepayers.  The modification will help alleviate the financial impact of the additional $445 million necessary to finish work related to the consent decree.  The proposed agreement was negotiated in consultation with local non-governmental environmental organizations and is currently awaiting formal approval by the City Council.  Once all parties have approved it, the agreement will be lodged in federal court and released for public comment.

NACWA applauds both Atlanta and EPA for reaching this innovative agreement, which is entirely consistent with the Association’s ongoing Money Matters…. Smarter Investment to Advance Clean Water™ campaign and related efforts to secure more flexibility in meeting wet weather and Clean Water Act mandates.  NACWA is hopeful that this important agreement, coupled with the imminent release of EPA’s final integrated planning framework document, will open the door for other communities under consent decrees to pursue similar modifications.  NACWA will continue to keep the membership updated on developments.

NACWA Asks EPA to Reconsider Regulations as Part of Climate Change Strategy

NACWA commented this week on EPA’s draft National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change (Strategy), recommending that the Agency reconsider Clean Water Act regulations to allow for a holistic watershed approach to water quality protection.  The National Water Program (NWP) published its original Strategy in 2008, identifying near-term actions to address climate change impacts on water resources and utilities.  The 2012 Strategy describes longer-term goals and the actions the NWP will take to achieve these goals.

In its comments , NACWA commended the NWP for establishing goals for protecting watersheds but emphasized that “the existing Clean Water Act regulatory structure will make these goals difficult to achieve unless broad and substantive changes are made to the way we approach water quality protection.”  For example, the NWP states in the Strategy that one of its actions will be to “promote the consideration of climate change impacts by NPDES permitting authorities,” including incorporation of revised low-flow stream estimates into permit effluent limit development.  NACWA pointed out that EPA should instead “be looking at better, more appropriate ways to protect water quality in both wet and dry weather periods.”  While EPA has taken a step in the right direction with its recent integrated planning initiative, comprehensive regulatory reform will be required to enable true prioritization of actions to improve the water environment, including control of all pollution sources, while also seeking to minimize the municipal carbon footprint.

NACWA also stated that regulations may need to be changed to meet the NWP’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing use of renewable energy resources.  Biosolids and biogas must be fully recognized as renewable fuels and utilities must not be penalized by greenhouse gas regulations for using these fuels.  In addition, NACWA encouraged EPA to consider more carefully the high costs of climate change adaptation for utilities.  NACWA will continue to work with EPA on ways to help utilities adapt to climate change and will keep members informed of any developments.

NACWA, WEF Recognize NBP Certification for Knoxville Utilities Board

NACWA, along with its partner the Water Environment Federation (WEF), presented the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) with a certificate recognizing KUB for achieving third party verification and National Biosolids Partnership (NBP) certification for its biosolids environmental management system (EMS) during a ceremony this week in Knoxville.  Mintha Roach, KUB President and Chief Executive Officer and Bill Elmore, KUB Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, accepted the certificate on behalf of KUB.  KUB’s program becomes the 34th in the U.S. and the second in Tennessee to be certified.  During the ceremony, Chris Hornback, NACWA’s Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, commended KUB for its “willingness to go above and beyond what the Clean Water Act requires”, noting that KUB’s commitment to excellence in biosolids management “exemplifies why KUB is a leader in the clean water community.”  NACWA again congratulates KUB and its employees on this significant achievement.

NACWA Call for Submissions for Excellence in Management Recognition Program

NACWA opened the application submission period for the Excellence in Management Recognition Program this week (MU 12-04) with enhancements to the program that include recognition for utility management initiatives associated with Resource Efficiency & Protection Activities, as well as the Ten Attributes of Effectively Managed Water Sector Utilities.  The updated Program also incorporates Platinum, Gold, and Silver recognition for both large and small utilities.  This newly revised Recognition Program provides the opportunity for all public Member Agencies, including those that have received NACWA Excellence in Management recognition within the past three years, to apply.  Applications are due by June 1, 2012.  To review the application and apply, visit the Excellence in Management page on the NACWA website.

Register Today for NACWA’s 2012 Summer Conference

Join us in historic Philadelphia for Transformational Leadership . . . . Changing the Game for the Next 40 Years of Clean Water, July 15 – 18 at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing.  Best-selling author David Nour’s conference keynote, Return on Impact – Leadership Strategies for the Age of Connected Relationships, will set the stage for an exploration of the tools available in the social networking/social media environment to align organization goals and objectives with stakeholder values to drive quantifiable results – all part of the transformational change taking place throughout the clean water community.  NACWA’s own Engage network will be publicly launched – providing a value-added experience for members and significantly enhancing the Association’s effectiveness in the advocacy arena.

The 2012 Summer Conference’s focus on transformational leadership will showcase innovative work now underway at clean water agencies, and look ahead at how water quality protection and utility management will change in the coming months and years.  Its compelling program will explore the emerging image of the ‘Utility of the Future’; feature the tools and approaches needed to continue to build on the water quality gains; and, examine real-world economic hurdles to innovation – as well as efforts to craft more financially sustainable utility business models. Registration is now available!  Visit NACWA updated and enhanced Summer Conference page for the preliminary program and more.  Please join us for this exceptional conference.