Rural Infrastructure Projects Session
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
OWDA
USDA
OWDA
-CA E
PA-
WPCLF
EPA-
DWAF
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
NWWRC
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
NWWRC Purpose Intended to assist communities navigate
multiple Agencies’ application processes Improve communication Avoid duplication Encourage cooperation
NWWRC
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
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
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
