Lead Communications Toolkit
Lead Communications Toolkit
"Frequent and transparent communication is key to keeping our communities safe from lead in pipes and plumbing." This American Water Works Association toolkit provides water utilities with customizable, off-the-shelf communications materials they can use to reach their customers, tell the whole story, engage partners, and help schools.
To access the toolkit click the link below.
Drought Preparedness & Response
Drought Preparedness & Response
This American Water Works Association manual illustrates how managers facing water shortages can employ well-established, proven strategies and tactics of drought mitigation, as well as introduces new tools and methods. The how-to guide sets out a 7 step process to respond to drought related water shortages.
To access this valuable manual click the link below.
Water Conservation Planning Manual
Water Conservation Programs, A Planning Manual
This American Water Works Association manual provides water utilities and other industry professionals guidance on developing, implementing, and measuring the success of a water conservation program. Chapter 4, in particular, details how to evaluate the benefits and costs of conservation programs including an overview to benefit-cost analysis methodology and details on typical benefits, calculating water savings, and determining benefits.
To access this valuable manual click the link below.
Conservation Program Operation & Management
Water Conservation Program Operation and Management
This American Water Works Association manual details critical elements of establishing, implementing, and evaluating an effective water conservation program. "It encompasses utility activities to improve water use on the supply side through distribution system management and on the demand side through customer billing and education practices."
To access this valuable manual click the link below.
AWWA Standard and Operation Guide Set
AWWA Standard and Operation Guide Set
This American Water Works Association set includes two key manuals on essential requirements for an effective utility management system: (1) Utility Management System and (2) Operational Guide to AWWA Standard. Together these guides provide information to water utilities for implementing critical requirements for water utility management set out in AWWA Standard G400. "Standard G400 was created to respond to a widespread need of utility managers to have some consistency in approach and some reliability in knowing what is generally expected of utilities in all areas of utility management."
To access the guides click the link below.
Developing Rates for Small Systems
Developing Rates for Small Systems
This American Water Works Association manual provides best practices for setting rates, fees, and charges, especially for water utilities serving a population of up to 10,000. The manual covers basics of rate setting, customer account and usage data, how to prepare a financial plan and evaluating revenue sufficiency, rate design concepts, objectives and adoption, and provides example alternative cash flow plans as well as financial policies.
To access this valuable AWWA manual click the link below.
Principles of Water Rates, Fees and Charges
This official American Water Works Association Manual of Water Supply Practices will help water policymakers, utility managers, and rate analysts consider all relevant factors. The updated 7th Edition features significant changes, including updated information on treatment of fixed charges and declining revenue and the growing issue of affordability. This addition also includes new chapters on water reuse and emerging trends.
"Water rates developed using the methodologies discussed in this manual, when appropriately applied, are generally considered to be fair and equitable because these rate-setting methodologies result in cost-based rates that generate revenue from each class of customer in proportion to the cost to serve each class of customer." Objectives in establishing cost-based rates include recovery of the full revenue requirement in a fair and equitable manner as well as incentivizing efficient resource use, i.e., conservation and efficient use and revenue and rate stability.
To access this valuable AWWA manual click the link below.
Municipal Handbook: Green Streets
Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure
Municipal Handbook: Green Streets
The Municipal Handbook, prepared in December 2008 for the Environmental Protection Agency by Robb Lukes and Christopher Kloss with the Low Impact Development Center, is a series of documents to help local officials implement green infrastructure on public streets in their communities.
Click the link below to download a copy of the technical guide.
Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure Costs
Community-enabled Lifecycle Analysis of Stormwater Infrastructure Costs (CLASIC)
A project intended to provide communities with a tool that takes into account the costs associated with planning, designing, acquiring, constructing, operating, maintaining, renewing, and replacing stormwater infrastructure. The results are expected to increase confidence in comparing benefits and costs of stormwater infrastructure alternatives using tools based on cost, design, and performance data sets and a peer-reviewed model.
Project Team Members
University of Maryland, College Park, MD; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Wichita State University, Wichita, KS; University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Geosyntec Consultants, Portland, OR / Wright Water Engineers, Denver, CO; and Water Environment Federation (WEF), Alexandria, VA
Collaborating Partners
Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI)/American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), American Rivers
Public Finance Authority Water/Wastewater Finance Pool
Cities, counties, towns and districts can finance and refinance water and wastewater projects through the Public Finance Authority (PFA) at AA rates. PFA will bundle eligible borrower obligations and issue bonds with additional security provided by a bond insurer—Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (AGM).
Benefits - Cities, counties, towns and districts will benefit from:
- Low-cost borrowing available through a public offering
- Simple financing requirements and reduced ongoing reporting burdens
- Fast and certain access to co-funding or total funding
Eligibility - The following criteria serve as a guide to potential applicants:
- Sole provider in service area
- Facilities serve more than 1,000 connections or more than 5,000 total population
- Independent rate setting authority
- Loan amounts ranging from $2,000,000 to $30,000,000
- Senior pledge of gross or net system revenues
