Rural Infrastructure Projects Session

transcript

The Small Community Water Infrastructure Exchange, helping water funding officials strengthen

the assistance provided to small and/or rural communities with their

environmental infrastructure needs.

COSCDA Program Manager’s Conference

Steve GrossmanExecutive DirectorOhio Water Development AuthorityMarch 13, 2012

Small Community Water Infrastructure Exchange

Ohio’s Small Community Environmental Infrastructure Group

Nevada Water Wastewater Revision Committee

Texas Water Infrastructure Coordinating Committee

SCWIE Current Activities

Outline

Arizona – Rural Water Infrastructure Committee Indiana – Environmental Infrastructure Working Group Montana – Water, Wastewater & Solid Waste Action

Coordinating Team New York – NYS Water & Sewer Infrastructure Co-Funding

Initiative North Carolina – UNC Environmental Finance Center Ohio – Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure

Exchange Texas – Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee Washington – Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council West Virginia – West Virginia Infrastructure & Jobs

Development Council

Statewide Support Groups With A Dedicated Website

http://www.sceig.org/sceig0001.asp?pagename=home

http://rwic.azwifa.gov/

http://www.ruralindiana.org/EIWG.php

http://dnrc.mt.gov/cardd/ResourceDevelopment/wasact/Default.asp

http://nycofunding.org/dotnetnuke/Default.aspx?tabid=68

http://www.efc.unc.edu/projects/infrastructurecoordination.htm

http://www.twicc.org/

http://www.infrafunding.wa.gov/

http://www.wvinfrastructure.com/

Statewide Support Groups Without A Dedicated Website

Alabama Minnesota

Arkansas Missouri

California Nebraska

Colorado Nevada

Delaware New Jersey

Florida New Mexico

Georgia North Dakota

Idaho Oklahoma

Illinois Oregon

Iowa Pennsylvania

Kansas South Carolina

Kentucky South Dakota

Maine Utah

Maryland Vermont

Massachusetts Wisconsin

Michigan Wyoming

States Without A StatewideSupport Group

AlaskaConnecticutHawaiiLouisianaMississippiNew HampshireRhode IslandTennesseeVirginia

Helping Small Communities meettheir Water & Wastewater

System Needs

An association formed in 1990 Federal Agencies State Agencies Local/Regional Groups Educational Institutions Technical Assistance Providers Financial & Regulatory

What is S C E I G ?

www.sceig.org

Typical Communities

Smaller communitiesWith no system, older system

Lower than average MHI figuresOlder, un-employed populations

Lower Rates, Fewer IncreasesSlower than inflation

Administrative CapacityLittle/no grant experience

www.sceig.org

We usually work with

Local officialsElected and Appointed

Other Federal/State/Local AgenciesRegulators and Funders

Consulting EngineersDesign and Technologies

Technical Assistance Provider

www.sceig.org

How We Operate ?

Coordination of Efforts 5 Committees:

Finance Training Decentralized Wastewater Working

Group Appalachia Environmental

Infrastructure Strategy Work Group

Small Systems Working Groupwww.sceig.org

Coordination of Efforts Quarterly Steering Committee Meetings Goals Statement Yearly Objectives Legislative Briefing Outreach Efforts

Finance Committee

Meets Bi-Monthly with Community Leadership and Consulting Engineer Project description

(Download two page form at www.sceig.org)

Status of Project Number of customers Total estimated costs User rates

www.sceig.org

Source of Funding for Counties with Populations Under 80,000

2000-2005

ODOD / Governor's Office ofAppalachia - Federal FundsODOD / Governor's Office ofAppalachia - State FundsODOD / Community DevelopmentBlock GrantOhio Public Works CommissionGrant & Credit EnhOWDA Emergency Relief

US Army Corp of Engineers

USDA / Rural Development Grant

USDC / Economic Development

USEPA Federal Appropriations

USHUD Community DevelopmentBlock Grant - FedDrinking Water Assistance

Water Pollution Control Loan

ODOD / Water & Sewer RotaryLoanOhio Public Works CommissionLoanOWDA Community AssistanceLoanOWDA Local EconomicDevelopment LoanUSDA / Rural Development Loan& Loan GuaranteeOWDA Construction Loan

Municipal Bonds

Training Committee

Workshops for community leaders facing decisions related to environmental infrastructure Water Wastewater

RCAP Training, Toolkit Technical Fiscal Managerial

Ohio RCAP Board Training Course 101

Utility Management for Local Officials Course 201

Financial Management for Local Officials Course 301

Asset Management, Budgeting, andRate Setting for Local Officials

CUPSS Training Check Up Program For Small Systems

www.glrcap.org/ohio

Decentralized Working Group

Capacity Building, Consideration of Alternative Wastewater Solutions

Promote de-centralized alternatives and

management optionsEducate, disseminate informationFacilitate, provide resources

Appalachian Environmental I Infrastructure Strategy Work Group

Effective delivery of technical and financial assistance from multiple sources Internet-based,

information-sharing network Enables providers of public

fundsand technical assistance to easilycommunicate and share the statusof a designated group of projects

Small Systems Working Group

Addressing the challenges to bring cost effective solutions for wastewater collection and treatment for the “very” small communities in the areas of: Community Leadership Appropriate Technology Funding

Technical Assistance

Ohio Rural Community Assistance Program

Ohio State University Extension Ohio Environmental Protection

Agency Ohio Rural University Program

Infrastructure for Nevada Communities

Formed in the late 1990s

Discuss troubled systems and to find solutions

Collaborate & Coordinate

To promote efficient application of technical and financial assistance

Nevada Water Wastewater Review Committee Creation Development of joint funding application

form stalled Focus on small rural communities Joint “pre-application” determined to be

aviable alternative

NWWRC Purpose Intended to assist communities navigate

multiple Agencies’ application processes Improve communication Avoid duplication Encourage cooperation

NWWRC Process Project Proposal Form (pre-application) for

State Grants, DW/CW SRF, USDA, CDBG Committee meets within 3-4 weeks of

receiving application NWWRC recommends most appropriate

funding for applicant Applicant then completes individual Funding

Agency’s application(s)

NWWRC Process – Correspondence NWWRC prepares comments pertinent to

the technical, operational, or financial aspect

of the project proposal Recommendation of most appropriate

funding Substantive comments must be resolved

prior to receiving a recommendation from the NWWRC

NWWRC Benefits Helps small communities identify funding

opportunities & navigate the process Project Applicants know we are talking with

each other – reduces “answer shopping” and the Agencies get consistent “stories” because they know we compare notes

Agencies can help craft loan/grant packages

Texas Background

As of 2009, at least 17 years attempting

to introduce and maintain a coordinated funding group Consistent Issues

Not legislatively organized/required Ownership/responsibility Relationships not solid/mistrust Lack common goals and objectives

Coordinating Group Formation

Series of meetings held November 2009 through April 2010 at the request of EPA-Region 6 and facilitated by the New Mexico Environmental Finance Center

Purpose “Discuss options for funding and other assistance to small

water systems in the state of Texas that are not in compliance with the arsenic and uranium standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act”

Evolution of Purpose and Outcome Based on state interest and needs Formed Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee First formal meeting of TWICC on August 18, 2010

TWICC Defined

Mission Statement “TWICC will collaborate to identify water

and wastewater infrastructure and compliance issues and to seek affordable, sustainable and innovative funding strategies for the protection of public health and the efficient use of government resources in Texas”

TWICC Defined

Coordination group with four sub-committees Finance Targeting/Priorities Marketing/Outreach Uniform Standards

First Year TWICC Activities

Accomplishments Consistent attendance and interest Developed “Financial Program Comparison Tool” Established a project database Developed website (www.twicc.org) Gave presentation and hosted work session Developed “Project Profile Form” Buy in from EPA and public Met/corresponded with public

Challenges Reorganization and reduction in force

SFY 2012 TWICC Goals

Foster better working relationships Internally- between TWICC member organizations Externally- with water and wastewater systems

Prioritize outreach to systems impacted by compliance and drought issues Recommendations from EPA Region 6 and TCEQ

Formalize procedures for Finance Sub-committee Establish communication methods based on system needs Develop process steps to ensure consistency Determine frequency based on method utilized

Uniform Standards Establish guidance for Multi-Agency Environmental Review Review procurement requirements and Engineering Feasibility Report

elements Marketing and Outreach

Provide additional presentations Develop TWICC logo

SCWIE 2012 Activities

Standardize the format and reporting requirements of the Preliminary Engineering Report

Ascertain the current level of activity of statewide support groups

Continue to share experiences on the development and implementation of well-supported capacity development strategy to ensure that small systems acquire and maintain the technical, financial and managerial ability to provide safe drinking water

Rural Infrastructure Projects Session

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