TFTT Report

In 2016, the Pennsylvania legislature passed Act 12 with bipartisan support to reform the antiquated accounting rules that previously forced local governments to sell distressed water and sewer systems at rock bottom prices. Since Act 12 passed, communities across the Commonwealth have benefited, including McKeesport, Exeter, Limerick, East Norriton, Cheltenham, and New Garden. The experiences […]

Truth from the Tap has an updated safety infographic that highlights the stellar safety record of America’s water companies – now with the latest data from 2021 included. An analysis of the most recently available federal safety data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that private sector water utility workers are less likely to be injured […]

In a new piece on Broad + Liberty, Norman Kennard, a former Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner (PUC), provides context that is sorely missing from the claims made by activists who oppose solutions offered by America’s water companies. Looking specifically at the Keystone State, Kennard examines how the state’s regulatory environment has allowed communities greater access […]

A recent piece in CQ Researcher did a deep dive into water privatization from a global perspective. A central part of the piece was a pro/con conversation that featured NAWC president and CEO Rob Powelson and Food & Water Watch activist Mary Grant. Mary’s “con” section left us scratching our heads and knowing we needed […]

The billions of dollars in costs to repair aging and neglected water and wastewater systems combined with increasing environmental and safety regulations is adding even more costs to the delivery of safe, reliable water service. It is also prompting small water utilities and local governments to want to exit the water and wastewater business. The […]

A new page on the Truth from the Tap website just went live that explains the many ways opponents’ rate comparisons fall short. Opponents are quick to cite a rate comparison report that they say shows that the water rates for private water utilities are higher than the rates of water systems run by local governments. The […]

NAWC President and CEO Rob Powelson pushed back on the Scranton (PA) Times-Tribune editorial board for calling on the General Assembly to cap water and wastewater rate increases while at the same time misrepresenting how Fair Market Value laws work and the infrastructure investments made by private water companies. “Water provided by Pennsylvania’s water companies […]

NAWC president and CEO Rob Powelson’s latest editorial titled “America is facing serious and growing water infrastructure challenges. Pennsylvania is no different.” ran this month on PennLive.com. Powelson takes activists to task for spreading misinformation about Pennsylvania’s private water companies, as well as about the effectiveness of the state’s Fair Market Value policies. Powelson concludes that […]

NAWC President and CEO Rob Powelson’s latest editorial in The Hill, “Our water infrastructure: Extolling low rates only increases inequities,” explains how the water tragedies of Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi show why we must move away from using low rates “as the benchmark against which water systems are judged.” “Efforts to keep rates artificially […]

Truth from the Tap has a new one-pager, “Jackson, Mississippi: The Critical Nature of Water Infrastructure Investment,” about how Jackson is an unfortunate example of what happens when water infrastructure investments are delayed or neglected. The resource cites headlines out of Jackson and statements by elected officials about how the current crisis is a result […]