The final stretch of the year is a busy time for municipal utilities, and while we hate to add to your long to-do list, there’s one thing you don’t want to ignore: preparing your Public Service Commission (PSC) Annual Report.
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As sanitary sewer main ages, the potential for groundwater infiltration from tree roots, failing joints, and other forces greatly increases. Replacing aging sanitary sewer main ultimately allows utilities to avoid the cost creep from infiltration year after year, but the upfront expense for a main replacement is often significant. How can your utility determine the best financial strategy for mitigating infiltration?
America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) requires municipal water systems serving more than 3,300 people to complete a Risk and Resilience Assessment and develop an Emergency Response Plan. Many communities must submit proof of completion before 2021. Here’s what your utility needs to know in order to protect your utility and remain compliant with the EPA.
During these uncertain times, water utilities may find themselves struggling to secure necessary resources. Fortunately, the PSC gives municipal utilities a simple and convenient option to increase rates by filing a Simplified Rate Case. Read more to find out if you water utility qualifies and how to apply for this program.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has included over $60 million in principal forgiveness for lead service line (LSL) replacement programs in its proposed plan for Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) funds. Learn more about the program requirements and how to apply in our latest finance update.
EDR, CREC, TSS, WRAPP, MS4, UST… what’s it all mean? Working on environmental permits and inspections often involves the use of several acronyms, and decoding each and every one of them can get a little overwhelming. We created this simple, printable cheat sheet to give you and your team quick and easy access to the most frequently used environmental services acronyms in one place.
Infiltration and inflow (I/I) can cause significant problems for your municipality and its residents. Here are a few tips to help your community maintain an efficient and cost-effective sanitary sewer system by identifying, mitigating, and preventing I/I.
We know that providing your residents with quality public resources, safe roads, and clean water is essential to creating a thriving community. We also know that locating the funds necessary to make improvements to local infrastructure can be incredibly difficult. This year, consider these financing opportunities to help you maintain, improve, and grow your community resources.
Sales forecasting offers many benefits for municipalities, from better infrastructure planning to cash flow management, but not all forecasts are created equal. Here are our best tips for making the most out of your sales forecast.
Sales forecasting is an incredibly valuable practice that can help your utility effectively plan for your community’s future needs. Learn the benefits of forecasting along with a few of our best tips to help your team lay the groundwork for success for years to come.
Learn how R/M helped the City of Oconomowoc save energy and costs by improving their WWTF grit removal system, and how we worked with Columbus Water & Light to evaluate their current water system and plan for future community growth.
The City of Greenfield recently struggled with storm events flooding Wildcat Creek to the point of frequent over-topping, structure flooding, and bank erosion. Learn how the experts at R/M helped improve and stabilize Wildcat Creek.
When designed correctly, water and wastewater facility infrastructure can last for decades. The planning and modeling of this infrastructure greatly affects daily operation and maintenance, water quality, community development and growth, and the ability for a community to meet changing regulations. Learn why strong water and wastewater infrastructure facility plans are key to setting up the future successes of these community resources.
The WDNR has launched a statewide initiative to mitigate per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our drinking water. Learn why there’s increasing concern over PFAS in the environment, the possible human health effects caused by PFAS exposure, and how potential new state regulations may impact your municipal wastewater treatment facility.
If you’re planning a development project, state and federal regulations require you to know the current boundaries of wetlands on your property in order to avoid and/or minimize wetland loss. Failure to comply with these guidelines can cause lengthy and expensive project delays due to unexpected permit requirements. Our environmental experts have put together a few important FAQ’s on wetland assessments and delineations to help you keep your project moving smoothly.
Any project that has the potential to disturb wetlands, waterways, woodlands, or other resources that may impact endangered resources should undergo an Endangered Resources Review. Learn about WDNR requirements and the steps your team can take to maintain compliance and avoid costly project delays.
Proper maintenance of storm water BMPs is necessary to ensure that these systems function properly and continue to protect our communities’ lakes, streams, and drinking water. Keep reading for helpful tips on how to preserve the life and effectiveness of your storm water BMPs.
The City of Franklin had one subdivision that was experiencing unusually high peak to average sewer flows. A hundred homes were 1950’s vintage, the subdivision was rural cross section with ditches, and there were known homes with hung plumbing and possible cross connections. Learn how utility rehabilitation assisted in resolving this issue.
Do you have an area in your system where breaks are common, back-ups are anticipated, or bypassing occurs frequently? Effective management and planning by public works staff are critical to meet the demands of deteriorating infrastructure and go from being “reactive” to “proactive” with maintaining your underground facilities.
Innovative communities and consultants are working together to develop creative new solutions to reduce pollutants in the environment, while maintaining compliance with increasingly stringent water quality requirements. R/M has worked with communities to develop coordinated pollutant reduction approaches between their storm water and wastewater programs.