TFTT Report
Claremont Abandons Condemnation Effort: Millions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted
In a settlement announced October 10th, the City of Claremont, California, abandoned its failing condemnation effort, ending the City’s attempt to use eminent domain to take over the local water system owned and operated by Golden State Water Company. The spectacular failure of Claremont’s ill-advised takeover effort should serve as a cautionary tale for other […]
Felton Learns Hard Reality of Broken Promises on Water System Condemnation
Nine years ago, condemnation advocates urged Felton, Calif. to move forward with a government takeover of its water system, which was then owned by California American Water. The condemnation advocates made several promises and ultimately the San Lorenzo Valley Water District took over the system in 2008. As we have captured in our Felton case […]
New Delaware Non-Profit Taps Into Private Water Excellence
Earlier this month, federal, state and local officials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Tidewater Utilities, a subsidiary of Middlesex Water Company, announced a unique non-profit partnership to support the wastewater needs of one Delaware community. Faced with the challenge of aging wastewater infrastructure in small, rural areas, a creative solution was formulated that involves […]
Op-Ed: NAWC Executive Director on Private Investments
In a NorthJersey.com letter, Michael Deane, National Association of Water Companies Executive Director, details the urgent water infrastructure investment needs of municipalities across New Jersey and that a government-only option is often insufficient to cover them. He also addresses NAWC members’ investment in the systems they operate, not just monetarily, but also through industry expertise. Read […]
More Evidence That Food & Water Watch’s Claims About Rates Are Faulty
According to Food & Water Watch (FWW), private water companies take over water systems so they can increase rates with no restrictions or accountability. According to the group’s own analysis, “after privatization, water rates increase at about three times the rate of inflation.”[1] File that “three times the rate of inflation” claim away. We’ll get […]
Food & Water Watch’s Latest Hypocritical Publicity Stunt
The irony is tremendous in Food & Water Watch’s latest publicity stunt. Last week, the lobbying group filed a lawsuit to try to put a road block in front of federal efforts to address the country’s enormous infrastructure challenges. While even Food & Water Watch acknowledges that investment in infrastructure is important, the group can’t […]
How Private Water Companies Can Help Increase Property Values
While the connection between investment in water infrastructure and increased property values is not often detailed, key third parties, including the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers[1] and the U.S. EPA[2], find a significant correlation between the two. By examining the relationship between the number of Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations and property values, researchers […]
Private Finance Crucial To Water Infrastructure Investments
With his latest commentary, In the Public Interest executive director Donald Cohen captures the activist solution to the water infrastructure crisis perfectly through the three illustrations he celebrates: taxes, taxes, and more taxes. Seattle instituted an income tax for transit funding. Los Angeles instituted a sales tax to pay for highway improvements. And Indianapolis – […]
Lessons Learned from Missoula
This week, some anti-private water activists are celebrating what they view to be a victory, as the city of Missoula, Montana takes ownership of the water system. As these groups pat each other on the back for taking over a private water system, what they won’t be talking about is the very high price Missoula […]
NAWC Executive Director Michael Deane Pens LTE to The Monterey County Herald
In a letter to the editor in The Monterey County Herald in Monterey, CA, NAWC Executive Director Michael Deane called out an anti-private water activist group that continues to use the condemnation in Montana, Missoula, as a way to mislead the public on the true costs of taking over a water system. This week, a […]