October 2020's Water and Wastewater Monthly Roundup is a snapshot of the insights our data is able to provide to our Water and Wastewater Industry clients. This blog shares upcoming project alerts, drivers, recent mergers and acquisitions, and updates on upcoming meetings and conferences.
Industry Drivers
Driver: EPA Highlights $216 Million in Water Infrastructure Loans in the West
Status: Effective
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency
Summary: On October 2, 2015, the EPA declared three new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans totaling $216 million for water infrastructure projects in Tacoma, Washington, and Soquel and Stockton in California. EPA's WIFIA loan will serve Tacoma to improve electrical distribution systems at the city's wastewater treatment plant. The project will help protect Puget Sound from unnecessary wastewater discharges by enhancing the reliability of Tacoma's Central Wastewater Treatment Plant, which manages over 7 billion gallons of wastewater yearly. EPA's WIFIA loan will help fund Pure Water Soquel, a water reuse project that will provide 1.3 million gallons per day of safe drinking water by filtering recycled water. The project will give a reliable, sustainable, and drought-resistant water supply and prevent saltwater's further intrusion into the aquifer, supporting the preservation of a sustainable groundwater basin. EPA's WIFIA loan will help the Stockton Public Financing Authority improve the city's wastewater treatment facility and lessen nitrogen discharges to the San Joaquin River. Modernization of the system will support agreement with stricter regulatory limits for nitrogen compounds and upgraded water quality in the city's surface water supply.
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Driver: President Signs Executive Order on Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure
Status: Effective
Organization: The White House
Summary: On October 13, 2020, the President signed an Executive Order on "Modernizing America's Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure." This order formally establishes a Water Subcabinet of senior Federal agency officials to help the efficient management and modernization of water supplies and systems while also eliminating duplication between agencies. The Water Subcabinet will encourage effective and efficient water resources management by decreasing duplication between Federal agencies developing water policy. It will also establish a national water strategy to assure the safety of water supplies, water quality, water systems, and water forecasting while protecting taxpayer investments and upgrade water infrastructure planning by advancing integrated planning and coordination for drinking water, wastewater, water reuse, water storage, and delivery, and water resource management.
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Driver: WIIN Grant: Reduction in Lead Exposure Via Drinking Water
Status: Effective
Organization: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Summary: On October 23, 2020, EPA published a list of projects selected to receive $39.9 million in grants under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. These grants will be used to remove sources of lead in drinking water by replacing thousands of lead service lines and removing potential sources of lead in hundreds of schools and childcare facilities.
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Driver: USDA Invests $891 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in 43 States
Status: Effective
Organization: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Summary: USDA is investing $891 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 43 states. The $891 million will be distributed to 220 projects, which will assist in improving rural water infrastructure. The projects are being funded through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program gives funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
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Alert: Increase of $500 Million to Houston City Capital Improvement Plan
In February 2020, Houston City adopted the Fiscal Year 2021 - 2025 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The Plan is updated annually. We’ve completed our review.
Looking back at the FY 2020-2024 Adopted CIP, it totaled $9.3 billion. The highest appropriations were designated for the Water Business Area (BA), totaling $2.9 billion.
This year’s CIP totals $9.8 billion, which is an increase of a total value of the CIP of 5.4% in comparison to the previous year CIP. Aviation Facilities BA took over a leadership role in having the highest designated appropriations, totalling $2.9 billion. Water Utility System Facilities and Wastewater Treatment Facilities BA’s are following, with $1.7 billion and $1.1 billion. Also, this year’s CIP contains 538 projects, 86 more than the last year’s CIP.
The FY 2021- 2025 Plan has 538 projects, with the highest individual value of $816.6 million in Executive Program Manager Services-Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP). This capital development program is designed to modernize and expand the Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT), to include current day Term C North, and Term D at IAH. The project may also include renovation and reconfiguration of the existing Federal Inspection Station Facility and construction of an expanded parking garage.
The projects following are Terminal A Modernization Program ($583.4 million) and NE Water Purification Plant Expansion ($552 million).
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Meeting Planner
Organizations have shifted their event strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are tracking these changing meeting plans.
Meetings in November and December, 2020
(Virtual Conference) NC AWWA-WEA Annual Conference, Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y676nwp5
(Virtual Conference) BCWWA Annual Conference & Trade Show, Nov. 3 to Nov. 4, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y3fus92h
(Virtual Conference) The International Water Conference, Nov. 8 to Nov. 12, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y64bddpx
(Virtual Conference) Ultrapure Micro Conference, Nov. 9 to Nov. 11, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y28lc82j
(Virtual Conference) Annual Water Resources Conference, Nov. 9 to Nov. 12, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y2w2aeft
(Virtual Conference) AWWA│SWAN International Smart Water Symposium, Nov. 10 to Nov. 11, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y49lx4t5
(Online Event) AWWA/SWAN International Smart Water Symposium, Nov. 10 to Nov. 11, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y5wz7qe2
(Online Event) Leveraging Big Data and Deep Learning for the Condition Assessment of Wastewater Pipelines, Nov. 10, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y67q3z2a
(Online Event) Free Webinar from Hydromax Usa: Pipeline Condition Assessment Technology - Innovative Solutions and Recent Field Applications, Nov. 12, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y3ub9otu
(Virtual Conference) FSAWWA Annual Fall Conference, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 2020,https://tinyurl.com/y2faojw2
(Online Event) Water Conservation Goes Virtual: COVID-19 Adaptations and Challenges, Dec. 2, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y6cadsmd
(Online Event) Will COVID-19’s Impact On Water Utility Finances Linger?, Dec. 3. 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y497m99c
(Online Event) AWWA Virtual Summit: Water Quality & Infrastructure, Dec. 8 to Dec. 10, 2020, https://tinyurl.com/y53jsptr
Early Bird Registration Deadlines
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Event: 1st Canadian IWA Young Water Professionals
URL: https://tinyurl.com/y4qv8wel
Dates: Jun. 24 to Jun. 25, 2021
Call for Papers Opens: Nov. 1, 2020
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