Archive | February, 2020

Water Experts Recommend New Methods to Measure Rate Affordability, Financial Capabilities

February 28, 2020

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Image courtesy of nattanan23/Pixabay

Water, wastewater, and stormwater bills have been increasing above general price inflation and household income growth rates for decades. Affordability, therefore, has become an increasingly important issue, heightening focus on utility rate design, customer service policies, and customer assistance programs. It’s time to revisit traditional methods of measuring household affordability and assessing community financial capability. […]

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Wristbands for Water

February 21, 2020

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Wristsponsible is a social enterprise that purchases bracelets handmade by artisans in Asia, Africa, and parts of Europe. It then resells those bracelets around the world to help finance water infrastructure projects for communities that face crucial water and sanitation needs. Image courtesy of Kevin Sofen/Wristsponsible

How entrepreneur Kevin Sofen turns untapped craftsmanship into clean-water results Raised along California’s Pacific coast and later settling near Lake Michigan in Chicago, Kevin Sofen has spent much of his life around water. The founder and CEO of the social entrepreneurship business Wristsponsible (Chicago), Sofen’s love for living shoreside goes hand-in-hand with his commitment to […]

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Register Now for Water Week 2020 and the National Water Policy Fly-In

February 21, 2020

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Attend the National Water Policy Fly-In, April 27-28, in Washington, D.C.  Image courtesy of skeeze/Pixabay

Water Week, this year scheduled for April 26-May 2, unites water professionals from across the country to advocate as one voice for the sector. As a critical national water policy event, Water Week is an opportunity to advance policy priorities for clean water and drinking water, and to celebrate the role utilities play in ensuring […]

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NEWEA Merger Closes Distance Between Practitioners and Innovators

February 13, 2020

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At the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in January, the organization formally announced a merger with the North East Water Innovation Network (NEWIN). The partnership will accelerate the development and implementation of new technologies by breaking down barriers between water and wastewater treatment practitioners and the businesses that support them. Image courtesy of NEWEA

For years, the New England Water Environment Association (NEWEA) and the North East Water Innovation Network (NEWIN) have served two critical segments of the northeastern U.S. water sector. NEWEA, a Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Member Association, supports practitioners on the frontlines of water and wastewater treatment while technology accelerator NEWIN provides resources for […]

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New WEF Publication Offers Guidance on Modeling Tools and Capabilities

February 11, 2020

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SWR Modeling Cover_350x500

Selecting the best-suited model to support stormwater projects can be complicated. Today’s water quality managers must not only be able to predict peak flow rates, runoff volumes, and receiving water quality, they must also navigate stringent regulatory requirements and varying levels of resources. The Water Environment Federation’s (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) newest publication, Stormwater, Watershed, and […]

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Aquifer Injection Project Earns UOTF Designation for Rio Rancho, N.M.

February 7, 2020

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The City of Rio Rancho opened New Mexico’s first direct aquifer injection well in 2017, aiming to enhance the arid city’s water security through indirect potable reuse. Rio Rancho Utilities Department (RRU) received a Utility of the Future Today designation from the Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.) and its program partners for the project as well as the utility’s progressive organizational culture. Image courtesy of the City of Rio Rancho

Nestled in the heart of the arid U.S. southwest, the City of Rio Rancho, N.M., depends on healthy groundwater aquifers as its sole source of drinking water. However, while U.S. Geological Survey data suggest lower-than-average water levels in many of the state’s aquifers, Rio Rancho’s drinking water supply remains plentiful thanks to the Rio Rancho […]

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