Water For People, a nonprofit international development organization, announced today receipt of a $5.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support their innovative Sanitation as a Business program.
The grant represents a significant investment over four years in Water For People’s Sanitation as a Business work, testing possible sustainable sanitation services in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This groundbreaking program seeks to revolutionize the sanitation sector. The program will combine profit incentives for small local companies and income generation programs for poor households and schools, demonstrating a shift from unsustainable, subsidy-based sanitation programs toward sustainable, profitable sanitation services. By merging business principles of market research and segmentation with comprehensive community involvement and thorough evaluation of results, Water For People aims to create a truly scalable model, expanding affordable sanitation coverage in multiple locations worldwide. Read more
Earlier this week, the State Water Board adopted this year’s Intended Use Plan for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program.
CWSRF has a limited amount of grant funds available in 2010/11. These funds will go quickly, so it’s important to submit a complete application early if you have not already done so.
Although the adopted plan contains a list of projects that are forecast to receive funding, this is not a binding commitment. CWSRF funds projects that are eligible and have submitted a complete application regardless of whether they are listed in the IUP or not. CWSRF accepts applications continuously. Staff is available to help applicants get through the application process.
To get more information about the CWSRF program, visit the CWSRF web site at www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf, call (916) 327-9978, or send an email to CleanWaterSRF@waterboards.ca.gov.
The Natural Resources and Environment Government Accountability Office has issued a report “Wastewater Infrastructure Financing: Stakeholder Views on a National Infrastructure Bank and Public-Private Partnerships.” The report is free and available for download.
Communities will need hundreds of billions of dollars in coming years to construct and upgrade wastewater infrastructure. Policymakers have proposed a variety of approaches to finance this infrastructure, including the creation of a national infrastructure bank (NIB) and the increased use of privately financed public-private partnerships (PPP). In this context, GAO was asked to identify (1) stakeholder views on issues to be considered in the design of an NIB and (2) the extent to which private financing has been used in wastewater PPPs and its reported advantages and challenges.
The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) 2008 Report to Congress (PDF) summarizes the results of EPA’s 15th national survey of capital costs to address water quality or water quality related public health problems. The total wastewater and stormwater management needs for the nation are $298.1 billion as of January 1, 2008. This amount includes $192.2 billion for wastewater treatment plants, pipe repairs, and buying and installing new pipes; $63.6 billion for combined sewer overflow correction; and $42.3 billion for stormwater management. Small communities have documented needs of $22.7 billion. In addition to the $298.1 billion in wastewater and storrnwater needs, other documented needs for nonpoint source pollution prevention ($22.8 billion) and decentralized wastewater (septic) systems ($23.9 billion) are included in Appendix A of the report. An estimated $334.5 billion and $81.5 billion in needs are potentially eligible for assistance from EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Nonpoint Source Control Grant programs respectively. PDF files of individual chapters and appendices are also available. For more information about CWNS 2008 Report see:
- CWNS 2008 Report to Congress Fact Sheet and
- Frequently Asked Questions about the CWNS 2008 Report to Congress
According to a report – Infrastructure 2010: An Investment Imperative – released on April 13 by the Urban Land Institute, more and more urban areas throughout the U.S.in both dry and rainy locales, are facing growing pressures on their water infrastructure systems, necessitating both greater investments for overhaul and a change in development patterns that are more conducive to conservation.
Citing “water profligacy as an American way of life,” the report cautions that most water districts do not charge ratepayers the full cost for constructing and maintaining systems. As a result, businesses and households tend to use water inefficiently and don’t conserve, even though per-capita water demand could outstrip future availability in some parts of the country. The report shows that the U.S. has the highest “water footprint” in the world, using nearly 656,000 gallons per capita annually, greatly outstripping far more populous China, which uses less than 186,000 gallons per capita annually.
The report points out that according to the World Bank, 80 countries have water shortages that threaten health and economies, and 40% of the world has no access to clean water or sanitation. Water supply cannot keep pace with demand as populations increase – creating an acute problem in America and worldwide. Infrastructure 2010 is the fourth of an annual overview series that analyzes the infrastructure needs and compares the infrastructure policies of the United States with other countries.
The Legislature on November 4 finally agreed to a set of five measures to improve California’s water reliability – particularly efforts to sustain the Sacramento Delta ecosystem. Part of the package is an $11-billion bond the Legislature approved for the November 2010 ballot – voters get to decide if it goes through our not. The bond may include funding for wastewater recycling projects.
“I am so proud that the Legislature, Democrats and Republicans, came together and tackled one of the most complicated issues in our state’s history,” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. “This comprehensive water package is an historic achievement.”
The five parts of the package are:
- Do away with the CalFed program and Bay Delta Authority to establish a seven-member governing council to oversee both restoration of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which supplies water to 23 million Californians.
- Mandate a 20 percent reduction in urban per capita water use by Dec. 31, 2020.
- Begin the first-ever groundwater monitoring program in the state, wresting control of the process from local authorities.
- Prevent illegal diversions and increase fines for those found stealing water.
- Pursue funding for all of the above.
There are two possible funding programs for wastewater treatment projects:
- $75-million for rural wastewater treatment plants
- $1-billion for water recycling and desal projects
SacBee has a list of funded projects.
A Senate-House compromise conference appers to have agreed to a proposal to make 30% of this year’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund investment eligible for grants instead of the tranditional low interest rate loans. The appropriation bill is part of EPA’s fiscal 2010 budget.
The CWSRF also receives one of the largest funding boosts in recent history - the 2010 allocation is $2.1-billion – almost double what the Feds were investing a couple of years ago. The compromise bill goes back to both the House and Senate for a final vote.
The SWRCB annually hands out loans totaling $300-million+ for wastewater projects from the State’s CWSRF. This year they handed out over $500-million thanks to additional funding from the Federal stimulus.
Senator Charles Schumer (D-New York) pushed for the amendment to help struggling water and wastewater districts.
Water and sewer improvements are the number one concern I hear from Mayors and Supervisors as I travel around… The Federal government has stepped up to the plate to help localities break ground on many of these backlogged projects to maintain and upgrade the local water infrastructure and sewer system. Making these investments now will create jobs, ensure long-term economic competitiveness, and provide clean drinking water to residents in New York State and across the country.
NY Times overview of the EPA’s entire appropriation bill is here.
The $33-billion appropriation bill for fiscal year 2010 now goes to President Obama for his signature. It includes funding for dozens of California water recycling projects including…
- Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Project – $1,215,000
- City of Corona Water Recycling and Reuse Project – $500,000
- Hi Desert Water District Wastewater Collection and Reuse Project – $1,000,000
- Irvine Basin Groundwater and Surface Water Development Project – $487,000
- Long Beach Area Reclamation Project – $634,000
- Long Beach Desalination Research and Development Project – $670,000
- North Bay Water Reuse Project – $200,00
- Riverside-Corona Feeder – $1,000,000
- San Diego Area Water Reclamation -$2,000,000
- San Gabriel Basin Project – $89,000
- San Jose Area Water Reclamation/Reuse Program – $200,000
- Watsonville Area Water Recycling Project – $750,000
Governor speaks to the SoCal Water Committee on Oct. 22
California’s leaders are close to a deal on one of the largest water agreements in a decade – but ‘we’re not there yet’ says the Governor and he needs our help.
I just wanted to tell all of you that you need to give them that extra shove. And you’re the leaders in your community. You all are the experts in water. You are the voice that they’re listening to. And you have the strength and the knowledge and everything. So you must call those legislators, call your local legislators, and put the pressure on them and demand action. And don’t take no for an answer.
According to a regulatory update from Mary Jane Foley of SCAP – some of the Legislature’s discussions include a water bond priced around $9-billion +/- with perhaps $75-million for water recycling projects.
ENR this week took a snapshot of the Federal Stimulus by focusing on a dozen projects across the country. In California the magazine profiles Live Oak’s expansion of their wastewater treatment plant.
An infusion of $16-million in stimulus funding ($10-million grant and $6-million loan at 1%) will help the disadvantaged community add secondary and tertiary treatment to the facility. Construction started in September and will finish in 2011. The total number of jobs created are 25 and counting.
We were facing fines of $3,000 per da because our system didn’t meet the new standards (for disinfection and aluminum and copper regulatory requirements). – Jim Goodwin, City Manager
ECO:Logic is consulting engineer on the project. RGW Construction is the contractor.
ENR story here. (subscription req.)
The SacBee also featured the project as one of the 5 largest stimulus projects in the Sacramento area.
