Infrastructure Asset Management Planning Thoughts on EPA-Funded Water Infrastructure Projects of Connecticut

On 1 December 2015, EPA announced it had awarded Connecticut $26 million to help finance water improvement projects.

These funds are intended for the upgrading of sewage plants and drinking water systems, as well as dealing with aging infrastructure through the state.

The EPA reports:

“This funding will pay for projects that improve water quality and protect drinking water across Connecticut, and will provide benefits for decades to come,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “Clean drinking water and proper wastewater treatment are fundamental to protecting people’s health, but aging water infrastructure needs to be upgraded and repaired. EPA’s funding will help continue Connecticut’s program to invest in drinking water and wastewater systems and protect people’s health.”

“Connecticut has made a tremendous commitment to improving the quality of our waters by making certain wastewater treatment plants in this state are upgraded and modernized to meet the highest standards and through improved management of storm water runoff,” said Robert Klee, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). “This has required a major financial investment and the federal funds available to support us – coupled with extensive state funding – help move us forward toward achieving important water quality goals.”

Connecticut water officials are grateful for these funds that will allow them to continue building a sustainable future.

Continued federal support allows them to invest in critical projects when necessary, which in turn benefits residents of the state later down the track when the environment is greatly enhanced, public health is ensured, and new jobs are created.

Inframanage.com observes that generally there are multiple Federal and State funds available for water authorities to access. Federal and State authorities also make available advisers aid authorities in accessing these funds.

If utilities undertake the long-term planning associated with developing an infrastructure asset management plan, then one of the analysis outputs will be a long-term expenditure prediction model – that allows the authority to work out what funding is needed and when.

Long-term expenditure prediction models allow communities and water authorities to have the conversation about what expenditure and funding are required, and what is affordable – and then access State or Federal funding sources if this is appropriate.

When considering your infrastructure asset management plan financial projections remember there are two parts to this – the expenditure projections and the funding projections.

Getting the expenditure and funding projections to line up in a way that is affordable and sustainable can take a lot of analysis, discussion, and consultation.