The WEFTEC 2019 Utility Leaders Morning Plenary Session, hosted by Water Environment Federation (WEF) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), will explore affordability challenges affecting communities at many levels. Topics will include concerns about overburdening low-income ratepayers and limitations on funding resources to make infrastructure investment to meet regulatory obligations.
A panel of experts will discuss these and other issues, and explore new approaches to better assess community and household affordability. Part of the discussion will focus on the recently published report, Developing a New Framework for Household Affordability and Financial Capability Assessment in the Water Sector. WEF, NACWA, and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) collectively funded this report.
The organizations sent this report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April with the recommendation that EPA change their measurement of affordability from median household indicator (MHI) to the more appropriate, two-part approach of household burden indicator (HBI) and poverty prevalence indicator (PPI) to prevent over-burdening low income ratepayers while continuing to have the local funding resources to meet compliance obligations.
Panelists for the plenary include
- John Mastracchio,CFA, Raftelis Financial Consultants (City, State;
- Eric Rothstein, CPA, Galardi Rothstein Group; (City, State), and
- Andrew Sawyers, Director of the Office of Wastewater Management at EPA, and;
- Radhika Fox, CEO, US Water Alliance (City, State).
Rudy Chow, PE, Director of the Department of Public Works for the City of Baltimore will moderate the session.
