Description: This training will help you ensure the financial stability of your water system while providing safe, quality drinking water at affordable rates. Participants will learn how to select a rate structure that meets their system’s objectives, as well as how to assess the sufficiency of current or projected rates. The training will also cover how to evaluate the affordability of rates for customers and provide an overview of customer assistance strategies that systems can use to ensure water services are accessible to all customers.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the purpose of water rates and identify common rate-setting objectives
• Understand how to account for the full cost of providing water service for small drinking water systems
• Identify basic water rate structure options
• Use a rate assessment tool to evaluate whether current or planned rates are sufficient to support operations, maintenance, and long-term needs
• Learn how to assess if water rates are affordable for customers, especially low-income households
• Understand various approaches to enhancing affordability
• Identify tools, resources, and technical assistance available to support rate evaluation and affordability analysis

Instructors: Kelsey Brooks, Kristel Sheesley, Natalia Sanchez, and Kristin Clear Mielcarek, Program Managers, University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center

CEUs: This training has been pre-approved for 2.0 hours of continuing education credit for water treatment, distribution systems, wastewater treatment, and collection systems certifications by Tennessee DEC.

Who Should Attend: