Archives › 2009 › December
There is an excellent blog entry at Water News Update listing the top 10 infrastructure fail stories for 2009. Water News Update tracked most of these stories, and many of them were also discussed here on the StepWise blog. If you read this blog, you will recognize many in the WNU list. Water News Update: [...]
As the Global Water rate case in Arizona unfolds, we are starting to see “under the skirt” of the water utility that is seeking a 34% increase to its approved water rate and 130% for its sewer rate. We were pretty sure that we would see some fireworks in this case given the size of [...]
For those who remain skeptical that water/sewer infrastructures is not one of the most critical (and expensive) issues facing the United States right now, you can easily see several examples of major infrastructure failures at the following links: Baltimore – 42″ water main breaks creating an urban river in seconds. Pittsburgh – water main breaks [...]
As Global Water’s testimony supporting its requested rate increase before the Arizona Commerce Commission begins, we are starting to see a small glimpse inside what can be a very involved process. Rate cases are not new: they are the rule for privately owned utilities and have been part of our history since pre-1900 times. Your [...]
Like all technical fields, the utility ratemaking field has its own lingo that while useful in discussions amongst experts, can leave the bystander dazed and confused. One of the more important ratemaking terms out there is revenue requirements. If you are an elected official or someone sitting an audience somewhere that has heard a rate [...]
If you’re a reader of this blog, you will have noted that we often cite news articles showing how utility rates are being increased in different parts of the US. We track these stories because we feel it’s important for our clients, our readers, and our own staff to understand the political dynamics that make [...]