Funding for water and wastewater projects can be confusing to navigate and it is generally provided by a variety of agencies in a state. Some states have made an effort to consolidate funding entities and partner agencies to provide a singular point of contact for assistance to communities in their region. In this blog series, you will learn about some of the existing Water Advisory Committees in the country, what they are, who they bring together, how they operate, and what assistance they provide to their state. In this blog, we will give an overview of the Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee.
What is it?
The Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee (TWICC) informs water systems facing infrastructure or compliance issues about funding eligibility and technical assistance.
The TWICC is a collaborative partnership between State and Federal government agencies and technical assistance providers. The committee’s goal is to promote an efficient process for affordable, sustainable, and innovative funding opportunities for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
Committee Members
In the state of Texas, the TWICC members are:
- US Environmental Protection Agency
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- Texas Commission of Environmental Quality
- Texas Water Development Board
- Public Utility Commission of Texas
- Bureau of Reclamation
- US Department of Agriculture
- Texas Rural Water Association
- Texas American Water Works Association
- Communities Unlimited
- Water Finance Exchange
- North American Development Bank
- Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC)
Meetings
The TWICC offers 3 options for water system representatives to meet with the TWICC:
1) Attending a meeting: TWICC meets regularly to update members on projects, funding sources, and training opportunities, and to meet with water systems seeking assistance.
2) Scheduling a Conference Call: Water systems can schedule conference calls with TWICC members to discuss specific project needs and eligibility for many types of assistance.
3) Requesting a Regional Workshop: Upon request, TWICC members conduct and present regional workshops to address the area’s specific needs.
How To Receive Assistance
To receive technical assistance (TA) or eligibility information about financial and TA programs provided by TWICC members, complete the Funding Inquiry Form found here, and submit it to : TWICC@twdb.texas.gov.
When completing the Funding Inquiry Form, the system can request time on an upcoming TWICC meeting agenda, schedule a conference call, or request a regional workshop.
After submitting the form, the TWICC will provide feedback through letters and meetings to communicate funding sources and technical assistance available and recommend agency programs that can assist the system with financial, managerial, and technical capabilities, as well as regionalization or funding. In addition, TWICC has resources available on their webpage about funding programs, disaster response, water conservation and more. You can find those resources here.
Point of Contact
For more information go to:https://twicc.org/index.html
or contact:
Patrick Kading, Program Administration Manager, Texas Water Development Board
Phone: (512) 936-8149
Email: patrick.kading@twdb.texas.gov
In Summary:
The TWICC provides services to water and wastewater systems in Texas looking for assistance with funding eligibility or technical assistance regarding infrastructure or compliance issues. This Committee allows communities in Texas to have a singular point of contact for getting advice and aid from multiple state and federal agencies to solve their system’s problems. Through the submission of a Funding Inquiry Form, the TWICC offers systems the option to attend their meetings, schedule a conference call, or request a workshop to address their challenges. Texas is one of the few states that has a committee that integrates different state and federal agencies for the benefit of their water and wastewater infrastructure. If your system is in Texas, make sure to reach out to TWICC for assistance and advice.