Registration opens and a continental breakfast is provided
Attendees in this session will gain valuable insight into the processes and functionality of emerging technologies and data analytics-enabled services. They will explore: the intrinsic linkage between the reliability of infrastructure and the economics of waste. They will learn how technologies have rapidly evolved to pinpoint efficiencies and waste and they will see how analytics impact processes and events from an economical and operational standpoint.
Green and on-site infrastructure programs can safeguard water supply and quality, manage urban runoff, and provide both environmental and community benefits more cost-effectively than massive upgrades to centralized infrastructure. But until recently, utilities had to dip into operating cash, instead of capital, to fund these types of programs.
In May 2018, Cynthia Koehler and a team of experts rectified this situation by advocating for and winning a policy clarification from the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The clarification establishes that public spending on distributed water programs, including specifically consumer rebates, can qualify for capital treatment. The victory opens new funding channels for utilities to deploy localized infrastructure and enhance water resiliency in their communities at scale—like high-efficiency appliances, on-site reuse, permeable pavements, green roofs, and turf change outs—whether on public or private properties.
Using practical project examples, Koehler will explore the new funding opportunities available with this policy clarification, outlining multiple methods for municipalities and water utilities to access municipal bond financing or other debt to scale innovative water programs, like localized infrastructure.
This presentation will discuss the best practices for building out a multi-year plan. This presentation will provide details on how to:
- Model key assumptions
- Perform sensitivity analyses
- Use a financial model to drive decision making
Whitebirch multi-year planning for water and wastewater utilities is a comprehensive strategic planning forecasting solution designed to help CFOs, finance teams, and their boards take control of the financial trajectory of their organization. This cloud-based platform has built-in capabilities to perform sensitivity testing and what-if analysis around rates, funding sources, debt and capital, and labor and staffing.
Whitebirch provides powerful dashboards, scenario managers, and real-time displays designed to support decision-making. Ideas and analysis can be evaluated using dynamic slide decks that are far superior and more engaging than traditional presentations. Stakeholders can change key assumptions in real-time to see and share the effects of alternative policy choices and scenarios. Audit and drill‐down functionality ensure results are understood and trusted. Whitebirch also instantly displays the impact of all proposed changes to your credit rating.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Water and wastewater utilities can use their existing rate-making mechanisms in the context of recent tax reform in order to effect positive cash flow impacts. Many utilities have begun to amortize excess deferred income taxes related to the change in the federal income tax rate. Due to the complexity of the underlying calculations and the limitations of existing technology solutions, the existing and proposed amortizations of excess deferred income taxes are often more accelerated than that which is required by IRS rules and public utility commission mandates.
With a careful review of commission requirements, existing fixed asset data, and the componentization of accumulated deferred income taxes, water utilities can take advantage of the intent of Congress allow utilities to utilize the timing of accelerated income tax benefits to fund additional investments in infrastructure. This discussion will summarize the evaluation and implementation process for water utilities to quantify the potential cash flow benefits as well as the practical steps to take to realize those benefits.
The Essentials of Water Finance Workshop is a 1-hour networking break at the Water Finance Conference, beginning this year at 2:30 pm ET. The workshop will be held in a separate, nearby meeting space at the Washington Court Hotel and will feature roundtable discussions led by experts in various facets of water utility finance, some of whom are conference speakers and panelists. Roundtable “facilitators” will lead discussions at each roundtable and attendees are free to move around to join various discussions throughout the hour. Topics to be covered will include:
“Innovations in Water Financing”
Facilitator: Cynthia Koehler, Executive Director, WaterNow Alliance
“Federal Drinking Water Infrastructure Priorities”
“Federal Clean Water Infrastructure Priorities”
“Rate Setting Best Practices”
“Environmental Impact Bonds”
“Value for Money Analysis & Alternative Delivery Services”
“The Nexus of Asset Management and Financial Planning”
“Applying Software to Financial Planning”
This presentation will detail a growing effort by AWWA and other key stakeholders in the U.S. water sector to add clarity and objectivity to the debate on the role of alternative delivery models in meeting the infrastructure investment challenge.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Registration opens and a continental breakfast is provided
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
Click on speaker below for full bio.
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