Browsing by Author "University of Delaware Water Resources Agency"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Attitudes and Knowledge Related to Clean Water: Formative Research Conducted in the Brandywine—Christina Watershed of Southeast Pennsylvania
    (2016-05) The Nature Conservancy; University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The Nature Conservancy and University of Delaware, Water Resources Agency sponsored this study of the Pennsylvania portion of the Brandywine-Christina watershed to understand how the public thinks about water quality, and to help inform public outreach in support of a proposed new fund for water restoration in the watershed. Tentatively called the “Healthy Water Fund,” this mechanism would gather resources to enable water restoration. This study sought to understand the baseline level of support for such a proposal, as well as specific priorities that the public would have for water restoration, and the language and imperatives that would resonate with them in describing it. This work was conducted in two phases: 1. A representative population survey was conducted by telephone among 300 randomly-selected residents of the watershed in May 2016. 2. Two focus groups, one each conducted among suburban residents and agricultural producers in the watershed, were held on the evening of May 12, 2016.
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    Climate Bonds: Wave of the Future? (seminar recap)
    (2022-02-01) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The seminar "Climate Bonds: Wave of the Future?" discussed the use of climate bonds, specifically green bonds, to fund water and climate-related projects in Delaware and the broader Delaware Valley. Hosted on February 1, 2022, it aimed to educate stakeholders on innovative financing options made more accessible by recent infrastructure legislation and financial support from various levels of government. The event was supported by the University of Delaware Water Resources Center and featured experts from finance, environmental protection, and watershed management, moderated by Erin Arvedlund, a Philadelphia Inquirer finance reporter. Panelists: 1. Colleen C. Davis - Delaware State Treasurer focused on retirement security, economic empowerment, and financial excellence. 2. Senator Bryan Townsend - Delaware Senate Majority Leader with a background in corporate law and community service. 3. Anthony (Tony) J. DePrima - Executive Director of the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility, specializing in green bond financing. 4. Thomas K. Beckett - Senior VP at NW Financial Group, experienced in project financing for various sectors. 5. Gerald J. Kauffman - Director of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, with extensive expertise in water resources research and policy. The seminar highlighted funding opportunities for sustainable infrastructure, with Delaware’s recent initiatives reflecting broader state and federal support for climate action and sustainable development.
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    Proposed Source Water Protection Area (SWPA) in the City of Wilmington, DE
    (2007) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The University of Delaware Water Resources Agency provides the City of Wilmington with water resources technical assistance including: Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Brandywine/Hoopes Reservoir/Red Clay Operating Plan Brandywine Creek Source Water Protection Program Billions of gallons of water have flowed over the dam since the Water Resources Agency board came together for regional water planning and management in 1977. That year, the Cities of Newark and Wilmington joined with New Castle County to form a policy board and fund the Water Resources Agency for New Castle County. In 1990, the State of Delaware was added as the 4th voting member of the policy board. In 1998 the Governor’s office, the three local governments, and University authorized the WRA to relocate to the University of Delaware as part of the Institute for Public Administration within the College of Human Services, Education, and Public Policy. On campus, the UDWRA mission is to provide water resources assistance to governments in Delaware and Delaware Valley through the public service, education, and research role of the University. The water resources accomplishments of the UDWRA cooperating governments are significant and notable in the areas of policy, planning, and science. The City of Wilmington has followed a regional approach ever since it built the Delaware River wastewater treatment plant, a facility that treats all of northern Delaware’s wastewater. The City is strengthening and expanding Hoopes Reservoir dam to create over 150 mg of additional storage. Wilmington fixed leaking water mains and saved 3 mgd of drinking water that used to trickle into the ground. The City has invested over $10 million and installed million gallon underground tanks to reduce combined sewer overflows. Recently, Wilmington became the first government in Delaware to adopt a stormwater utility to fund sewer improvements. These are just a few of the many contributions of the UDWRA cooperating governments over the last 30 years.
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    Water Rates in Delaware and Surrounding States (Draft 2011)
    (2011-09) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration conducted an inventory of water rates for public- and investor-owned water utilities within Delaware and the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. This 2011 survey is an update of previous reports prepared in 2000, 2004, and 2008. Note that the costs and rates charged for water services differ in many respects between public and investor-owned purveyors. For example, public purveyors have tax payer sources of capital and revenue that are assumed by the tax payers but are not reflected in the water rates. For such public purveyors, finances can be intermingled with other municipal departments, thus revenues and costs are shared with other municipal functions. Investor-owned purveyors, unlike public purveyors, can charge rates to cover operating costs and reap a potential profit. Additionally, expenses paid by investor-owned purveyors, primarily taxes, are not paid by the public purveyor. It is important to consider this information related to water service and rates charged for water service (which often varies by state) when comparing public and investor-owned purveyors. Additional information on this topic can be found by reading the EPA Four Pillars Approach – Rates that Reflect the Full Cost of Services at http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/. We contacted the water utilities by e-mail, telephone, or website and collected water rate and tariff data from over 50 water purveyors in the four states. We used the following assumptions to compute residential water rates: • Quarterly residential water use equal to 15,000 gallons per customer. • The average residential water meter is 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch diameter.
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    Water Rates in Delaware and Surrounding States (Draft 2012)
    (2012-09) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration conducted an inventory of water rates for public- and investor-owned water utilities within Delaware and the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. This 2012 survey is an update of previous reports prepared in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2011. Note that the costs and rates charged for water services differ in many respects between public and investor-owned purveyors. For example, public purveyors have tax payer sources of capital and revenue that are assumed by the tax payers but are not reflected in the water rates. For such public purveyors, finances can be intermingled with other municipal departments, thus revenues and costs are shared with other municipal functions. Investor-owned purveyors, unlike public purveyors, can charge rates to cover operating costs and reap a potential profit. Additionally, expenses paid by investor-owned purveyors, primarily taxes, are not paid by the public purveyor. It is important to consider this information related to water service and rates charged for water service (which often varies by state) when comparing public and investor-owned purveyors. Additional information on this topic can be found by reading the EPA Four Pillars Approach – Rates that Reflect the Full Cost of Services at http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/. We contacted the water utilities by e-mail, telephone, or website and collected water rate and tariff data from over 50 water purveyors in the four states. We used the following assumptions to compute residential water rates: • Quarterly residential water use equal to 15,000 gallons per customer. • The average residential water meter is 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch diameter.
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    Water Rates in Delaware and Surrounding States (Draft 2013)
    (2013-10) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration conducted an inventory of water rates for public- and investor-owned water utilities within Delaware and the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. This 2013 survey is an update of previous reports prepared in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2011, and 2012. Note that the costs and rates charged for water services differ in many respects between public and investor-owned purveyors. For example, public purveyors have tax payer sources of capital and revenue that are assumed by the tax payers but are not reflected in the water rates. For such public purveyors, finances can be intermingled with other municipal departments, thus revenues and costs are shared with other municipal functions. Investor-owned purveyors, unlike public purveyors, can charge rates to cover operating costs and reap a potential profit. Additionally, expenses paid by investor-owned purveyors, primarily taxes, are not paid by the public purveyor. It is important to consider this information related to water service and rates charged for water service (which often varies by state) when comparing public and investor-owned purveyors. Additional information on this topic can be found by reading the EPA Four Pillars Approach – Rates that Reflect the Full Cost of Services at http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/. We contacted the water utilities by e-mail, telephone, or website and collected water rate and tariff data from over 50 water purveyors in the four states. We used the following assumptions to compute residential water rates: - Quarterly residential water use equal to 15,000 gallons per customer. - The average residential water meter is 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch diameter.
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    Water Rates in Delaware and Surrounding States (Draft 2014)
    (2014-09) University of Delaware Water Resources Agency
    The Water Resources Agency at the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration conducted an inventory of water rates for public- and investor-owned water utilities within Delaware and the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. This 2014 survey is an update of previous reports prepared in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Note that the costs and rates charged for water services differ in many respects between public and investor-owned purveyors. For example, public purveyors have tax payer sources of capital and revenue that are assumed by the tax payers but are not reflected in the water rates. For such public purveyors, finances can be intermingled with other municipal departments, thus revenues and costs are shared with other municipal functions. Investor-owned purveyors, unlike public purveyors, can charge rates to cover operating costs and reap a potential profit. Additionally, expenses paid by investor-owned purveyors, primarily taxes, are not paid by the public purveyor. It is important to consider this information related to water service and rates charged for water service (which often varies by state) when comparing public and investor-owned purveyors. Additional information on this topic can be found by reading the EPA Four Pillars Approach – Rates that Reflect the Full Cost of Services at http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/.