For many communities, repairing and updating failing water and wastewater infrastructure has been a topic. Several efforts are underway to provide funding for water and wastewater treatment facilities. However, many smaller facilities may not have the expertise or personnel to make the necessary changes required to meet the standards that increasingly require more capital.  … Read More

In the world of Microgrids, major events continue to unfold in 2020: Microgrid Knowledge conducted its first Virtual Conference, The US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released a road map with microgrids as part of the solution, and Microgrid interest and investment is at an all-time high. Global warming and the COVID-19 pandemic… Read More

Recently, there has been considerable conversation across New York State regarding private utility ownership within the various Towns and Villages.  Currently, New York American Water (NYAW), a privately-held company, provides service to 120,000 customers in New York, primarily in Nassau County and the Hudson Valley region. NYAW has made a deal to be acquired by… Read More

The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) issued a Notice Soliciting Comments from municipalities and other water authorities interested in serving, consolidating, acquiring or otherwise providing service to areas currently served by American Water Company (NYSE: AWK).  The PSC has received many requests to replace the current providers of water service with a municipal owner… Read More

Because utility valuation is a relatively infrequent occurrence, it’s all the more critical that municipalities and private utilities understand the process. Moreover, today’s high operating expenditures for water and wastewater utilities make it particularly important that municipalities clearly understand the current value their assets so they can prepare for changes tomorrow. A 2018-2027 FORECAST by… Read More

Once the municipality or private utility has established its goals and selected a partner, it’s time to begin the legwork for the actual valuation process. This investigation will uncover all assets and explore as-built and current replacement costs. While many municipalities are content to turn this process over to their consultant in its entirety, initial… Read More

While the usefulness of a utility valuation may now seem clear, how to proceed is often less apparent. Understanding the right time to use each of the different valuation approaches can help municipalities and utility owners determine their next steps. There are three typical appraisal approaches to take to understand the value of utility systems…. Read More

While most people may have a general sense of the market value of a home or business, it’s not so easy to apply accurate values to a utility. Not only do prices change across markets, but decades of adding to these systems may mean municipalities or private owners lose track of built assets sprawling across… Read More

A utility valuation can be a critical process for many municipalities and other utility providers. Cities, towns, villages and utilities tasked with building, buying or selling an asset for their drinking water, sanitary sewer or other utility system may realize they have no basis of comparison when it comes to applying a fair market value… Read More