Rural Infrastructure Projects Session

1. COSCDA Program Manager’s Conference Rural Infrastructure Projects Session The Small Community Water Infrastructure Exchange, helping water funding officials strengthen the assistance provided to small and/or rural communities with their environmental infrastructure needs. Steve Grossman Executive Director Ohio Water Development Authority March 13, 2012

3. Outline • Small Community Water Infrastructure Exchange • Ohio’s Small Community Environmental Infrastructure Group • Nevada Water Wastewater Revision Committee • Texas Water Infrastructure Coordinating Committee • SCWIE Current Activities

9. Statewide Support Groups With A Dedicated Website • Arizona – Rural Water Infrastructure Committee • Indiana – Environmental Infrastructure Working Group • Montana – Water, Wastewater & Solid Waste Action Coordinating Team • New York – NYS Water & Sewer Infrastructure Co-Funding Initiative • North Carolina – UNC Environmental Finance Center • Ohio – Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure Exchange • Texas – Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee • Washington – Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council • West Virginia – West Virginia Infrastructure & Jobs Development Council

10. http://www.sceig.org/sceig0001.asp?pagename=home

11. http://rwic.azwifa.gov/

12. http://www.ruralindiana.org/EIWG.php

13. http://dnrc.mt.gov/cardd/ResourceDevelopment/wasact/Default.asphttp://dnrc.mt.gov/cardd/ResourceDevelopment/wasact/Default.asp

14. http://nycofunding.org/dotnetnuke/Default.aspx?tabid=68

15. http://www.efc.unc.edu/projects/infrastructurecoordination.htmhttp://www.efc.unc.edu/projects/infrastructurecoordination.htm

16. http://www.twicc.org/

17. http://www.infrafunding.wa.gov/

18. http://www.wvinfrastructure.com/

19. Statewide Support Groups Without A Dedicated Website

20. States Without A Statewide Support Group

21. Helping Small Communities meet their Water & Wastewater System Needs

22. What is S C E I G ? An association formed in 1990 • Federal Agencies • State Agencies • Local/Regional Groups • Educational Institutions • Technical Assistance Providers • Financial & Regulatory www.sceig.org

23. Typical Communities • Smaller communities With no system, older system • Lower than average MHI figures Older, un-employed populations • Lower Rates, Fewer Increases Slower than inflation • Administrative Capacity Little/no grant experience www.sceig.org

24. We usually work with • Local officials Elected and Appointed • Other Federal/State/Local Agencies Regulators and Funders • Consulting Engineers Design and Technologies • Technical Assistance Provider www.sceig.org

25. How We Operate ? • Coordination of Efforts • 5 Committees: • Finance • Training • Decentralized Wastewater Working Group • Appalachia Environmental Infrastructure Strategy Work Group • Small Systems Working Group www.sceig.org

26. Coordination of Efforts • Quarterly Steering Committee Meetings • Goals Statement • Yearly Objectives • Legislative Briefing • Outreach Efforts

27. Finance Committee • Meets Bi-Monthly with Community Leadership and Consulting Engineer • Project description (Download two page form at www.sceig.org) • Status of Project • Number of customers • Total estimated costs • User rates www.sceig.org

28. OWDA USDA EPA-DWAF OWDA-CA EPA-WPCLF

29. Training Committee • Workshops for community leaders facing decisions related to environmental infrastructure • Water • Wastewater • RCAP Training, Toolkit • Technical • Fiscal • Managerial

30. Ohio RCAP Board Training • Course 101 Utility Management for Local Officials • Course 201 Financial Management for Local Officials • Course 301 Asset Management, Budgeting, and Rate Setting for Local Officials • CUPSS Training Check Up Program For Small Systems www.glrcap.org/ohio

31. Decentralized Working Group • Capacity Building, Consideration of Alternative Wastewater Solutions • Promote de-centralized alternatives and management options • Educate, disseminate information • Facilitate, provide resources

32. Appalachian Environmental I Infrastructure Strategy Work Group • Effective delivery of technical and financial assistance from multiple sources • Internet-based, • information-sharing network • Enables providers of public funds • and technical assistance to easily • communicate and share the status • of a designated group of projects

33. Small Systems Working Group Addressing the challenges to bring cost effective solutions for wastewater collection and treatment for the “very” small communities in the areas of: • Community Leadership • Appropriate Technology • Funding

34. Technical Assistance • Ohio Rural Community Assistance Program • Ohio State University Extension • Ohio Environmental Protection Agency • Ohio Rural University Program

35. Infrastructure for Nevada Communities • Formed in the late 1990s • Discuss troubled systems and to find solutions • Collaborate & Coordinate • To promote efficient application of technical and financial assistance

36. NWWRC • Nevada Water Wastewater Review Committee Creation • Development of joint funding application form stalled • Focus on small rural communities • Joint “pre-application” determined to be a viable alternative

37. NWWRC • NWWRC Purpose • Intended to assist communities navigate multiple Agencies’ application processes • Improve communication • Avoid duplication • Encourage cooperation

38. NWWRC • NWWRC Process • Project Proposal Form (pre-application) for State Grants, DW/CW SRF, USDA, CDBG • Committee meets within 3-4 weeks of receiving application • NWWRC recommends most appropriate funding for applicant • Applicant then completes individual Funding Agency’s application(s)

39. NWWRC • NWWRC Process – Correspondence • NWWRC prepares comments pertinent to the technical, operational, or financial aspect of the project proposal • Recommendation of most appropriate funding • Substantive comments must be resolved prior to receiving a recommendation from the NWWRC

40. NWWRC • NWWRC Benefits • Helps small communities identify funding opportunities & navigate the process • Project Applicants know we are talking with each other – reduces “answer shopping” and the Agencies get consistent “stories” because they know we compare notes • Agencies can help craft loan/grant packages

41. Texas Background • As of 2009, at least 17 years attempting to introduce and maintain a coordinated funding group • Consistent Issues • Not legislatively organized/required • Ownership/responsibility • Relationships not solid/mistrust • Lack common goals and objectives

42. Coordinating Group Formation • Series of meetings held November 2009 through April 2010 at the request of EPA-Region 6 and facilitated by the New Mexico Environmental Finance Center • Purpose • “Discuss options for funding and other assistance to small water systems in the state of Texas that are not in compliance with the arsenic and uranium standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act” • Evolution of Purpose and Outcome • Based on state interest and needs • Formed Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee • First formal meeting of TWICC on August 18, 2010

44. TWICC Defined • Mission Statement • “TWICC will collaborate to identify water and wastewater infrastructure and compliance issues and to seek affordable, sustainable and innovative funding strategies for the protection of public health and the efficient use of government resources in Texas”

45. TWICC Defined • Coordination group with four sub-committees • Finance • Targeting/Priorities • Marketing/Outreach • Uniform Standards

46. First Year TWICC Activities • Accomplishments • Consistent attendance and interest • Developed “Financial Program Comparison Tool” • Established a project database • Developed website (www.twicc.org) • Gave presentation and hosted work session • Developed “Project Profile Form” • Buy in from EPA and public • Met/corresponded with public • Challenges • Reorganization and reduction in force

47. SFY 2012 TWICC Goals • Foster better working relationships • Internally- between TWICC member organizations • Externally- with water and wastewater systems • Prioritize outreach to systems impacted by compliance and drought issues • Recommendations from EPA Region 6 and TCEQ • Formalize procedures for Finance Sub-committee • Establish communication methods based on system needs • Develop process steps to ensure consistency • Determine frequency based on method utilized • Uniform Standards • Establish guidance for Multi-Agency Environmental Review • Review procurement requirements and Engineering Feasibility Report elements • Marketing and Outreach • Provide additional presentations • Develop TWICC logo

48. SCWIE 2012 Activities • Standardize the format and reporting requirements of the Preliminary Engineering Report • Ascertain the current level of activity of statewide support groups • Continue to share experiences on the development and implementation of well-supported capacity development strategy to ensure that small systems acquire and maintain the technical, financial and managerial ability to provide safe drinking water