Strategies for Small Systems to Address Current Challenges

There are countless small water systems across the country that struggle to effectively maintain their systems and retain the expertise needed to properly treat the water.  Over 90% of U.S. water utilities serve small to very small communities, and unfortunately, the majority of the Safe Drinking Water Act violations are concentrated among these small utilities.  What solutions are out there to help these communities and ensure that the customers of these small systems receive safe and reliable drinking water?  This panel will discuss innovative and creative ways to get at the “small struggling water system” issue that is present in every state across the country.

Moderator: Hon. Lea Marquez Peterson, Arizona

Panelists: 

     Hon. Lori Cobos, Texas

     Aaron Silas , Director, Regulatory Operations, Central States Water Resources, Inc.

      Steve Lubertozzi, Senior Vice President, Rates, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, Corix Group of  Companies

Expanding Water Utility Business Intelligence with AMI and other Emerging Monitoring Technologies

Understanding customer behavior and use is critical business intelligence for water utilities – this type of information is essential both for day-to-day operations planning over different seasons as well as long term infrastructure planning.  AMI, behind the meter Customer Level Monitoring Devices like Flume, and AI are able to provide utilities with a wealth of new information that was not available in the past. These technologies have also provided customers with direct real time information that they can use to identify problems and manage their behavior. This presentation recounts one case study on how a utility implemented advanced monitoring technology and has improved their planning using the newly acquired information.   During the session, presenters will address the following questions:

• What are customer-installed water monitoring devices and how are they different than AMI?
• What type of rich, fixture level data can be provided by these devices and how can it is used to improve service by the utility.
• How AMI and water monitoring devices can co-exist (and why they should).The business case for a utility to fund both AMI as well as customer installed devices.
• What do these installations tell us about water use at the state and regional level?
• What benefits do customers get from this technology (water savings and leak mitigation etc.).
• What an early adopter utility has learned (and will continue to learn) from the data from these devices.

Moderator: Hon. Jeffrey Hughes, North Carolina

Use of Infrastructure Surcharges 

Infrastructure surcharge mechanisms, such as the Distribution System Infrastructure Surcharge (DSIC) and Qualifying Infrastructure Plant (QIP), have proven to be successful at gradually smoothing out the rate increases associated with needed infrastructure investments and accelerating infrastructure replacements. More recently, commissions have deployed these mechanisms in the context of improving water quality for customers through the replacement of lead service lines. This panel will examine novel uses and innovations of infrastructure surcharges and the benefits that flow to customers.

Moderator: Hon. MaryAnna Holden, New Jersey

Panelists: 

     Kim Joyce, Vice President, Regulatory & Government Affairs, Essential Utilities

     Cas Swiz, Senior Director, Regulatory Services, American Water

     Geoff Marke, Chief Economist, Missouri Office of the Public Counsel

     Shaun Sparks, Counsel to Commissioner Yanora, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission