by Stacey Berahzer | Sep 18, 2017 | Risk and Resiliency to Climate Hazards
Millions of United States citizens continue to battle the effects of massive hurricanes this month. Many have lost electric and water service. As water and wastewater utilities struggle to get their systems up and running again, some are in a better position than...
by Stacey Berahzer | Aug 8, 2017 | Affordability, Financial Management, Rates
“Won’t you pay my bill?” is a question that the water utility asks of the customers who do not pay their water, wastewater, and even stormwater bills. But low-income customers are, essentially, asking the same question: will you—higher-income customers—help pay the...
by Stacey Berahzer | Sep 15, 2016 | Affordability
When setting rates, most water and wastewater utilities are concerned (at least to some extent) about whether their customers can afford the resulting bills. Many utilities are also wondering how they can assist the poorest segments of their customer base with the...
by Stacey Berahzer | Jun 20, 2016 | Financial Management
Water and Wastewater utilities receive “credit ratings” just as a private individual has a FICO® score. While organizations like the Fair Isaac Corporation calculate personal credit scores, for entities like local government utilities, the three groups that generate...
by Stacey Berahzer | Nov 17, 2015 | Financial Management
About 96% of the population in Puerto Rico receives water from the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA). But the other 4% of the population is supplied by about 240 very small water systems. In teaching workshops this year in Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia and...
