Originally posted at nawc.org. Water is an essential resource that directly affects our quality of life. That’s why it is crucial that water systems are cared for and managed by professionals with the expertise and resources to keep water service safe and reliable. Contract operators provide unique benefits to a water or wastewater infrastructure owner […]

In an op-ed for the Baltimore Sun, Rob Powelson, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Water Companies, pushed back against the recent campaign to ban water system privatization in Baltimore. Powelson refuted Food and Water Watch’s false narratives about water rates and control under water companies, pointing out that water always […]

A level of misunderstanding of the water industry rarely seen is on a full display in a recent BuzzFeed piece. The author bases her entire argument – that a city in Africa should be cautious about working with a professional water company – on the completely incorrect claim that a water company was at the […]

As Public Water Now tries to tout Montara, California as a successful government takeover of a privately-owned water system, here are a few important facts to keep in mind: Underestimated acquisition costs. Takeover advocates in Montara underestimated the acquisition cost by over 100%, claiming the takeover would cost $5 million when in reality it cost […]

The recent article in the Santa Barbara Independent gets four key things wrong in its attempts to tout the government takeover of the water system in Ojai, California as a success story: 1) The author’s claims on cost savings are false and blatantly ignore the fact that Ojai residents have paid dramatically higher taxes as […]

Food & Water Watch, once again, gets so many things wrong in its latest blog post that attacks state public utility commissioners and their role in overseeing rate regulated water companies. Here are three of the many egregious examples of how the group simply does not understand the water industry, generally, and is even less […]

In The Public Interest’s Donald Cohen is right that a partnership between the public and private sectors can provide many benefits. Indeed, the many different types of solutions offered by water companies are customizable, scalable solutions to help municipalities address their unique water system needs. And he is also right that protecting the public interest […]

Activists routinely praise utilities with low rates, but there are important reasons why low rates should not be seen as a badge of honor. The experience in Visalia, California, is a good illustration why. The water system in Visalia, California, has been owned and operated by California Water Service (Cal Water) since 1926.[i] To try […]

In an op-ed for The Trentonian, Marybeth Leongini, Director of Communications for the National Association of Water Companies, responds to a recent opinion piece from a Food & Water Watch (FWW) activist that claimed private water companies would make Trenton, New Jersey’s water infrastructure challenges worse. Leongini points out that FWW, “blindly argues in favor […]

The enormous need for investment in America’s water infrastructure has resulted in ever-increasing rates for water systems across the board. Between 2012 and 2016, water rates increased nationally by about 7% a year. A recent report from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) identified several factors that can help address water affordability challenges, including partnerships with […]