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Water & Wastewater Market Monthly Roundup, May 2020

Written by FirmoGraphs Staff | May 16, 2020 4:28:17 PM

Dear Readers,

Here's our Water / Wastewater Market Monthly Roundup for the month of May. As always, this roundup features top news, drivers and important upcoming meetings and conferences related to the water and wastewater industry. Enjoy!

Industry Drivers

Driver: Clean Water Act, Waters of the United States Supreme Court interpretations

Status: Effective

Organization: U.S. Supreme Court

Summary:  This United States Supreme Court case involved pollution discharges under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The case asked whether the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires a permit when pollutants that originate from a non-point source can be traced to reach navigable waters through mechanisms such as groundwater transport. On April 23, the Court ruled that pollution resulting from many diffuse sources (non-point discharges) require a permit when they are the "functional equivalent of a direct discharge", a new test defined by the ruling. The decision demanded the case with instructions to apply the new standard to the lower courts with the cooperation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Please click here for additional information.

Driver: EPW Committee Released Drafts of Water Infrastructure Legislation

Status: Proposed

Organization: United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

Summary:  April 21, The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unveiled the initial draft of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) composed of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA 2020) and Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020. AWIA 2020 provides $17 billion for investments in infrastructure projects across the country: helping with reparation of aging water and wastewater systems, increasing water storage in the West, building new flood management infrastructure in the Midwest.

Re-authorization of the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 amends the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Total cost is an estimated $2.5 billion in federal authorizations intended to provide resources and technical assistance to communities that are facing drinking water emergencies. The bill also increases funding for the EPA’s Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities as well as authorization of $15 million annually for the EPA’s Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Grant Programs."

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Notable M&A April. 2020

As per FirmoGraphs’ records, the following notable M&A transactions stand out in the US Water & Wastewater Industry, in the month of April, 2020.

  • April 02, 2020 - California Water Service Group announced that its subsidiary, Washington Water Service (Washington Water), closed its purchase of the Greenwood Estates water system on March 31, with approval by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. 
  • April 02, 2020 - California Water Service Group announced that its subsidiary, New Mexico Water Service (New Mexico Water), entered into a purchase agreement with Valencia Mesa Water Company (Valencia Mesa), pending approval by the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, and subject to the completion of diligence and remaining conditions in the purchase agreement. Public Regulation Commission, and subject to the completion of diligence and remaining conditions in the purchase agreement. 
  • April 9, 2020 - A group of investors led by Bernhard Capital Partners Management, LP, a service and infrastructure-focused private equity management firm, announced the acquisition of Ascension Wastewater Treatment ("AWT"), the largest private sewer utility operator in Louisiana.
  • April 13, 2020 - Artesian Water Company, a subsidiary of Artesian Resources Corporation announced its acquisition of the water system of the Town of Frankford in Sussex County, Delaware on April 2, 2020.
  • April 16, 2020 - Illinois American Water announced its acquisition of the Village of Leonore water system. The purchase added approximately 68 water customers to the Streator District service area.
  • April 17, 2020 - Illinois American Water announced its acquisition of the Village of Sidney water system. The purchase added approximately 560 water customers to the Champaign County service area.
  • April 28, 2020 - Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase the wastewater system assets of Upper Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County for $13.75 million. 
  • April 29, 2020 - Indiana American Water announced its acquisition of the Town of Riley’s wastewater system in western Indiana. The purchase of the system adds approximately 460 wastewater customers to the company’s customer base, which represents a population of more than 1,240 residents.

Meeting Planner

There is no replacement for face-to-face meetings with your prospects and customers!  We track meetings of interest to our customers serving the US water and wastewater industry, so you won’t miss upcoming meetings and deadlines. 

Meetings in May & June, 2020

There is no replacement for face-to-face meetings with your prospects and customers!  However, due to the impact of the COVID-19, the following organizations have updated their meetings approach:

  • (Canceled) WVAWWA Annual Joint Conference, May 17 to May 20, 2020, Davis, West Virginia http://ow.ly/R0St50zGoaf

  • (Rescheduled) Ultrapure Micro Conference, from May 27 to May 29, 2020, to Nov.  9 to Nov.  11, 2020, Austin, Texas http://ow.ly/Awci50zGocP 

  • (Canceled) WEF Collection Systems Conference, Jun. 2 to Jun. 5, 2020, El Paso, Texas http://ow.ly/M85H50zGoeh

  • (Canceled) AWWA Annual Conference & Exposition (ACE), Jun. 14 to Jun. 17, 2020, Orlando, Florida http://ow.ly/VOSA50zGog0

  • (Canceled) NEWWA Spring Conference, Jun. 22 to Jun. 23, 2020, Worcester, Massachusetts http://ow.ly/3jU950zGohm

  • (Rescheduled) IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies, from Jun. 1 to Jun. 5, 2020 to Feb. 21 to Feb. 26, 2021, Reno, Nevada http://ow.ly/zT9x50zGtuG

Early Bird Registration Deadlines

  • Event: WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition - 2020
  • URL: http://ow.ly/4FSq50zGolk
  • Dates: Sep. 30 to Oct. 1, 2020
  • Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Date Early Registration: Jun. 30, 2020

Call for Papers Deadlines

  • Event: Annual Water Resources Conference - 2020 (Virtual Event)
  • Association: American Water Resources Association
  • URL: http://ow.ly/2DJe50zGomK
  • Dates: Nov. 9 to Nov. 12, 2020
  • Location: Kissimmee, Florida
  • Call for Papers Deadline: Jun. 30, 2020

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