CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Tom Roberts, president of Aqua North Carolina, Inc. (Aqua) spoke today
about the key role that public-private partnerships can play to
rehabilitate the nation's aging water and wastewater infrastructure.
Roberts made his remarks at a conference held by the National
Association of Water Companies' southeast chapter in Chattanooga,
Tennessee.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released survey results this
year that show an investment need through 2030 of $384 billion
nationwide for drinking water system repairs and improvements, including
thousands of miles of pipes and thousands of treatment plants, storage
tanks and water distribution systems, which are all vital to public
health and the economy.
"Reliable water and wastewater services are necessities of life, and our
country needs to make sure that the pipes, treatment plants, wells,
tanks and fire hydrants that deliver these services are properly
maintained now and in the future," said Roberts. "We can't rely on state
and local governments to bear all the costs of this massive undertaking.
Private, publicly regulated utilities can work with governments to
provide the financial resources and technical expertise needed to repair
and operate aging systems."
North Carolina is at the forefront of addressing the state's
infrastructure needs by enacting a law this year that creates a water
and wastewater infrastructure improvement charge (WSIC) designed to
provide customers of the state's regulated water and wastewater
utilities with improved water quality and better water and wastewater
systems while enabling utilities to recover capital costs in a timely
way. The WSIC encourages utilities to accelerate much-needed
infrastructure improvements, such as installing treatment systems and
replacing aged distribution pipe. The new law maintains rigorous
regulatory oversight by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, and
recovery of capital is only allowed for reasonable, prudent and
completed projects approved by the Commission.
Last year, Aqua spent more than $11 million to repair and improve water
and wastewater systems throughout North Carolina. Aqua provides water
and wastewater service to more than 250,000 residents in 52 counties
throughout North Carolina. Visit aquaamerica.com
for more information.
WTRG
Aqua North Carolina, Inc.
Tom Roberts, 919.653.5770
tjroberts@aquaamerica.com
or
Gretchen
Toner, 610.645.1175
484.368.4816 (cell)
gmtoner@aquaamerica.com
Source: Aqua North Carolina, Inc.
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